SALT Conference Archives - SALT Community

Post-Christmas Recovery: 5 Ways to Rest this Season

katelyn_salt — Sun, 24 Dec 2023 20:25:12 +0000

Now that the festivities are over, it’s time for the hardworking staff and volunteers of local Protestant churches in the USA to focus on personal rejuvenation. In this post-Christmas recovery guide, we’ll explore five practical and revitalizing ways to prioritize rest this season. After all, your well-being matters just as much as the incredible work you do.

1. Unplug and Recharge:

In today’s world of constant connectivity, it’s essential to take a break from technology and engage in activities that bring you joy. Consider setting aside specific times each day to unplug, put away your devices, and relax. You can read a book, take a nature walk, or just enjoy a quiet cup of tea. These intentional breaks can provide much-needed mental and emotional restoration. Rest this season by embracing the simplicity of unplugging and recharging.

2. Rediscover Hobbies and Passions:

It’s easy to lose touch with personal hobbies amidst the demands of work. Take this season to rediscover those activities that bring you genuine happiness. Whether it’s playing an instrument, painting, or trying something new, investing time in what you love can be a powerful source of rejuvenation. Embrace the joy of rediscovery as a key aspect of your rest this season.

3. Cultivate Quiet Moments of Reflection:

As the year comes to a close, take time for quiet reflection. Find a peaceful corner where you can think about the highs and lows of the past months. Use a journal to capture your thoughts and set intentions for the coming year. Incorporate mindfulness exercises or prayer to center your mind and find peace. These moments of introspection are integral to your post-Christmas recovery—offering clarity and a sense of purpose.

4. Prioritize Quality Sleep:

Quality sleep is essential to your well-being. Establish a consistent sleep routine that allows for sufficient rest each night. Create a comfortable sleep environment, free from distractions, and consider winding down with calming activities before bedtime. Adequate sleep not only rejuvenates your body but also enhances your overall resilience, crucial for those serving in demanding roles.

5. Connect with Loved Ones:

Personal connections often take a back seat during the Christmas season. Use this post-holiday period to reconnect with loved ones. Schedule quality time with family and friends, whether in person or through virtual means. Engage in meaningful conversations, share laughter, and savor the warmth of genuine relationships. These connections act as a balm for the soul, contributing significantly to your overall sense of rest this season.

Remember that rest is not a luxury but a vital aspect of your well-being. Implement these practical strategies into your routine, making intentional choices to prioritize rest this season. Your dedication to serving in the local church deserves personal care and rejuvenation. Rest well this season and embrace the transformative power it brings to your private life and overall fulfillment.

If you found this episode helpful, share it with someone you think would also find it helpful!

The post Post-Christmas Recovery: 5 Ways to Rest this Season appeared first on SALT Community.

Almost to SALT 2023 | SALT Podcast Episode 1

katelyn_salt — Mon, 06 Nov 2023 22:56:57 +0000

DOWNLOAD PODCAST

Welcome to the very first episode of the SALT Podcast! In this first episode Luke McElroy (SALT Founder), Katelyn Johnson (SALT Director), and JoeAngel Sanchez (SALT Founder) reminisce about SALT’s beginnings in 2013. Katelyn also shares some behind-the-scenes info on what you and your team need to know when attending SALT 2023. Not to mention some great insights on what SALT is all about and how your team can get the most out of the conference this year!

Join us for our 10th anniversary and take some time before you get to SALT to listen with your team! Learn more about SALT 2023 by visiting SALT2023.com.

If you found this episode helpful, share it with someone you think would also find it helpful!

The post Almost to SALT 2023 | SALT Podcast Episode 1 appeared first on SALT Community.

4 Updates to SALT Virtual Conference

kamil_hopeware — Wed, 19 Aug 2020 20:00:57 +0000

4 Updates to SALT Virtual Conference

For the past 8 years the SALT Conference has been a connecting point for those in our SALT Community. It has become a place for people from all over to come together and be inspired, grow, refuel their passions and learn from each other.

The days of Covid have changed how we connect and SALT Conference is not immune to the changes. SALT 2020 is going entirely virtual and our SALT Team is ready to bring THE CREATIVE CONFERENCE FOR THE CHURCH to YOU! Over the course of 3 days, attendees will have the opportunity to attend practical training workshops, learn from some amazing speakers and be inspired by others. We are excited about the opportunity this virtual platform gives us and we want to share with you some detail….

Workshops and Speakers.

The classes and speakers are the same but now that we are going virtual the medium of how the workshop is delivered has changed. However, that doesn’t mean we are sacrificing your access to the speakers. All of our speakers will be available after their workshop to discuss and answer questions.

We have some amazing workshops, taught by speakers that are some of the best in their field. Classes in the areas of Leadership, Volunteers, Creative Process, Worship, Technology, Communications, Online Streaming and more. Check out all of the workshops and speakers coming to SALT 2020 Virtual.

Community Groups.

One thing that makes SALT Conference unique are the Community Groups. Every year we hear from attendees that Community Groups really helped them connect to others that understand the “ins and outs” of what this community does. Just because we are going virtual doesn’t mean Community Groups are going away. We believe the creative community should be connected and empowered to help one another. Our virtual platform will allow you to join others from around the country and connect with them. Not only will you be known by others, but you’ll be able to help others who need your knowledge.

Schedule.

One of the biggest changes we have made to the SALT Virtual experience is the schedule. Instead of beginning SALT with a Main Session at 9am (something our west coast community may not love), we are beginning the mornings with our Main sessions at 11am. We hope this will help our West Coast friends as well as help the rest of the community get work done in the morning and then be fully present for conference for the afternoon.

Additionally, we will have bonus content and classes available beginning at 9:00am. You can check out the full schedule here.

Cost.

You won’t be paying $400 for a ticket. The virtual conference will give you the opportunity to participate for as low at $129. Additionally, we want to get your whole team involved which is why we have added our Team Stream. The Team Stream give your church access to 50 unique log ins for SALT Virtual. That means you can invite staff, volunteers, part time people to SALT Conference and they can go to their own workshops, their own community groups and network 1:1 with other attendees and resource leaders.

We have 3 different price points and you can check out details here.

Lastly, your virtual conference experience will only be as successful as you allow. Being engaged is so important and SALT is committed to making sure we create an experience that will be engaging but also equip and inspire you to take what you have learned and create for your community.

The post 4 Updates to SALT Virtual Conference appeared first on SALT Community.

Engaging Worship

kamil_hopeware — Fri, 14 Aug 2020 09:30:07 +0000

When I heard about the book from Douglas Hood, The Worship Unicorn: Ten Ways to Pursue Authentic & Engaging Worship, I was intrigued. I mean who doesn’t want to read a book about Unicorns and Worship right?? Once I finished it I realized that the author Doug, had just outlined a very practical book with the overarching theme:

Understanding Your Community (as a Worship Leader)
Understanding Your Role (as a Worship Leader)
Understanding the God Is In Control

Too many churches are consumed with copying each other, specifically in the area of music and worship. Where is the uniqueness? Where is the individuality? We don’t need song leaders; we need WORSHIP leaders! If you are going to create an environment of engaging worship you need to understand your congregation. For instance, the congregation at Tabernacle Baptist in Decatur, IL may not engage in worship like the congregation at Vu Church in Miami. Your job as a Worship leader is to understand where YOUR congregation is and help lead them.

To do that you must understand your role and discover what makes you “you”. You have a story to tell. You have a style, and a voice, and a way of communicating that is unique to you. Embrace that! If you allow yourself to be raw and real with your congregation, you will be a better leader, people will grow more connected to you, and ultimately you can lead in a more powerful, authentic, and God-honoring way.

One of the things Doug mentions in his book is “Creating memories for your congregation.” I love this! I have been doing SALT Conference for several years now and 1 year in particular we had a new song that was written by the Worship Band that year. Of course our SALT Community didn’t know the song but the moment the song was introduced, I watched the posture of the attendees change from just “singing” the words to being “moved” by the words. Funny thing… because it was a new song no one really knew the words but they were definitely singing something. Why did that happen? I can’t really answer that question except to say it was GOD. What I will tell you… that moment made such an impact, that during the weeks following I was inundated with phone calls and emails from worship leaders trying to get their hands on THAT song. They wanted to get their hands on the song in the hopes of sharing it with their congregations. Music moves people and your job as a worship leader is to lead and shepherd your congregation.

The Worship Unicorn is a Workshop!

This article was just the tipping point to the deeper and more practical discussion. Author, Doug Hood, of The Worship Unicorn now has a workshop on SALT University. You can check out the previews by clicking the button below!

Learn More

All that said, this book is easy to read. Each chapter shares real-life personal stories that will inspire you to lead better and create a posture of engaging worship. Every chapter has a challenge for you to take action. Don’t just read; absorb, reflect, and uncover new, fresh ways for you to magnify the Lord in your church. Now is the time to fall in love with leading all over again; now is the time to gain a real passion for your people and a real perspective that you are a shepherd. You are called to know and care for your flock.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Douglas James Hood is a musician, composer, and worship pastor at Central Ministries of Fort Wayne, Indiana. In addition to holding a BS in Music Composition & Bible, he is also President of CSD Group, Inc., an award-winning design and integration firm that partners with churches throughout the United States to elevate their worship experiences through better audio, video, lighting, and acoustics. Doug is married with five children, two grandchildren, two dogs, and an unconfirmed number of cats.

The post Engaging Worship appeared first on SALT Community.

Using Creative Boards for Church

kamil_hopeware — Fri, 03 Jul 2020 23:19:58 +0000

At SALT19 we used a “technology” called the creative board. Of course I use the term technology loosely because there is really nothing “technical” about it. However, we found that having this visual in our production meetings and eventually in our production room at conference was a huge asset.

The premise of a creative board is a visual aid that helps the user organize thoughts and ideas. Each notecard color represents a different element in the planning process and by having different colors to represent different elements you are able to visual see what you are planning. It will help you figure out what needs to be added as well as what needs to be taken away.

At SALT19, each notecard was coordinated with a different element of our main session services. For instance, the orange card was used for any speaker on stage whether it be a keynote or host moment. Green was used for any video that was shown, pink was for sponsor moments etc.

That said, here are a few ways to use creative boards and the colored notecards in the production of an event:

Speakers – orange
Corporate worship – blue
Choir special or solo – yellow
Videos – green
Transitions – red
Announcements – pink

Here is an example of how we used the creative board at SALT.

Additionally, you can use the creative board to lay out a larger series plan by adding the individual weeks and then the focus of each week and elements within those services. For instance, at SALT19 we had 6 sessions. Each session, had very similar order of service but the focus of each session was a little different. By having a full layout of all the sessions on our board we were able to see the service order for each session but we were also able to create a very intentional story and cohesiveness with each session.

Another way to use a creative board is for the speaker or teacher. In this case you may consider using the creative board to layout your talk. Here are some examples of how you can do that:

Main Point – Blue
Supporting Points – Green
Examples – Red
Application – Pink
Key or Quotable Phrases – Yellow
Images – purple
Videos – Orange

This would help in having a visual picture of your talk and to see where there may be holes and how you can fill them.

Bottom line, 65% of the population are visual learners and this tool is 100% visual. So give it try!

RESOURCES:

Creative Board – by Compression Planning – we use the classic “folding” board. It has a handle and is portable which works best for conference planning.

Push Pins – by Compression Planning – we also use these push pins they are a bit larger than a typical push pin and holds the cards better.

The post Using Creative Boards for Church appeared first on SALT Community.

5 Ways To Get The Most From SALT Conference

kamil_hopeware — Thu, 26 Sep 2019 20:21:12 +0000

For the past 7 years the SALT Conference has been a connecting point for those in our SALT Community. It has become a place for people from all over to come together and be inspired, grow, refuel their passions and learn from each other. Over the course of 3 days, attendees have the opportunity to attend practical training workshops, learn from some amazing speakers and be inspired by others. We want you to get the most out of your time with us and the rest of the SALT Community so we have come up with 5 tips for getting the most from your time at SALT Conference.

Wristbands.

Over 60% of the attendees that come to SALT, come alone. It is very important to us that we help attendees that come alone find connection points. One way we do this is with our colored wristbands. Most of the SALT attendees fall into 1 of 6 categories (communications, leadership, stage design/lighting, video, audio, and worship). During registration, attendees receive a wristband the represents what area of ministry they work in. We encourage attendees to find people with the same color wristband. Instant connection!

Community Groups.

This is an environment unique to SALT Conference. We believe we are all better together, so we created Community Groups which gives every attendee a chance to learn from others and share from your own experience. Make the most of Community groups by networking, processing and gaining new insights from fellow churches around the country!

Team Rooms.

SALT wants to honor those attendees that brought their entire team to SALT so we created team rooms. Team Rooms are open for you and your team to spend some time sharing, planning, dreaming, praying, and working through challenges together. These rooms can be reserved and will come equipped with a flip chart, set of markers, an easel, bottled water, and your ministry’s logo. This is a perfect opportunity to grow closer as a team.

Breaks.

There are over 40 workshops and main sessions which means there will be a plethora of notes and questions. During SALT Conference we believe in giving attendees some time to process and breath. We have built in 30 minute breaks between each session so attendees can have time to re-fuel by grabbing some coffee or taking time to check out the art installations.

SALT Conference App

A great way for our attendees to make the most of SALT Conference is with our official SALT19 app. Connect with other attendees, choose your own schedule, find workshop learning objectives, speaker bios and more. We hope this app will be helpful to all of our attendees.

SALT University

Attendees have the opportunity to go to several different workshops during conference. However, since there are more than 40 workshops, it would be impossible for one person to make all of them. So we created SALT University! The SALTu platform gives the owner access to all of our SALT Conference content, additional classes and more. Definitely worth the investment for your church.

The post 5 Ways To Get The Most From SALT Conference appeared first on SALT Community.

Set Design Planning Process

kamil_hopeware — Tue, 02 Oct 2018 09:59:19 +0000

We thought it would be fun to go back in time to our very first SALT Gathering and see what the process, elements and concepts were of the SALT13 Set Design and Visuals. If you were at SALT13, you know how exciting it was to be a part of the very first gathering… and the anticipation for what’s to come never seemed to end. Here’s the concepts and visuals behind SALT13:

Every year we put together the creative elements of SALT, we discuss the following key elements: How do we tell a story? What is the central idea? and how do we enhance the environment around that idea to invite people into that story?

We are creating for a community of artists, technicians, thinkers and dreamers, so we want to come up with something that’s not just going to look cool to them, but resonate deeper than just aesthetics. Our environments are designed to echo the story we’re telling. (P.s. here are more detail on the tech specs of the SALT13 set)

The Theme/Story

In 2013, our theme was Contagiousness. However our story mirrored the story of what God has done and is doing in our world in four parts: creation, fall, redemption, and recreation. We used the set and the visuals to illustrate this. The set went through several iterations during the course of the conference. When we saw it in the first two sessions, it had the form of a modular, grid-like structure. The main purpose of the set in this iteration was to use it to create a celebratory, exciting environment, mirroring the excitement and celebration that took place at creation.

ACT I

To accomplish this story, we decided to create a set with dual functionality. The first function was to allow a set that would let us display beautiful projection mapped graphics and visuals. We aligned two 12,000 lumen projectors onto the set, and allowed us to play into the individual squares that made up the set. Here’s a look at that look:

To accomplish our second functionality, we wanted to build a DIY, low-res LED Wall. Each panel was lined (inside the back frame) with white LED Strip Tape. This turned each square into an individually functioning pixel in the larger story. With Resolume and MadMapper, we were able to pixel map simple animations to be played across the entire wall. This was the entire basis for our set concept and visuals of sessions 1 and 2, which resembled the first act of our story: Creation.

ACT II

For the second act, and the second iteration of the set, we had to represent The Fall. Our keynote speaker, Cole NeSmith completely destroyed the set, by allowing it to fall to the ground. This was to represent the fallenness we have when we try to be God, and control our environments too much; knowing full well that God will pick us up and put us right back where we belong, by his side. Here’s a video of that stunning portion of SALT13 :

ACT III

It’s important to note that at each act so far, the same elements were used. We really didn’t introduce new or different elements. So in the third iteration, we brought the set back (just as Jesus did with all our own brokenness), in the form of a cross. Many of the panels were actually destroyed, ripped and broken in the falling that took place during Act II, which brought an added depth to this new setup. Of course we used those broken panels anyway, because it represented the brokenness that was our sin on the cross, and how Jesus redeemed it for His glory and our Grace. This was representing the “Redemption” part of our story.

ACT IV

In our final iteration (the fourth act), we simply cleared everything out of the room and hung a simple white Cyclorama where the set once hung. This represented that Jesus gives us a blank state, post cross. A chance to re-create once again. We used environmental projection to cover both the cyc and the walls on either side, projecting graphics that asked our community to reflect and wonder on both their new identities in Christ as well as the journey they had been on that week.

Using visuals to represent a story is one of the central ways we as artists are able to communicate and relate to our audience. Being intentional in how we choose and use these visuals — whether it be through set design, video, graphics, or other creative elements—allows us to focus on the most impactful way to tell our story. It also allows us to be intentional in how we share God’s story in our world and its relation to us as creative and technical people.

The post Set Design Planning Process appeared first on SALT Community.

10 Things You’ll Miss Not Attending SALT

kamil_hopeware — Fri, 29 Jan 2016 01:03:54 +0000

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]We don’t want you to miss out on SALT16, the creative arts conference everyone seems to be talking about! Among the thousands of things you’ll experience being at the conference, there are at least 10 things you’ll miss not attending SALT this year. Feel free to print this out, send it to your boss or pastor, and let this do some of the convincing for you.

10 Things You’ll Miss Not Attending SALT:

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][luv_dropcaps style=”luv-dropcaps-square” color_scheme=”default” letter=”1″][vc_column_text]By not attending SALT Conference, you’ll miss becoming more creative through the incredible workshop speakers, labs and breakouts that we always have at SALT[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][luv_dropcaps style=”luv-dropcaps-square” color_scheme=”default” letter=”2″][vc_column_text]You’ll miss growing as a creative leader from coaches like Dr. Andrew Johnston, Jenni Catron, Stephen Brewster and Jonathan Malm to name a few![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][luv_dropcaps style=”luv-dropcaps-square” color_scheme=”default” letter=”3″][vc_column_text]Missing SALT Conference, means you’ll miss out on the life-altering biblical teaching that takes place in the main sessions with keynote speakers in the past like Erwin McManus, Blaine Hogan, Alex Seely, Glenn Packiam and more![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][luv_dropcaps style=”luv-dropcaps-square” color_scheme=”default” letter=”4″][vc_column_text]You’ll miss out on an opportunity to network with the almost 800 other creatives that serve in similar roles as you all across the nation and almost every single state in the United States![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][luv_dropcaps style=”luv-dropcaps-square” color_scheme=”default” letter=”5″][vc_column_text]You’ll miss time to explore world-class art installations and explore the inspiring environments our team puts tougher from a basketball court filled with pixels and LED’s to the LED mason jar chandelier to the sacred spaces and the history of the visually creative church.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][luv_dropcaps style=”luv-dropcaps-square” color_scheme=”default” letter=”6″][vc_column_text]Those who come to SALT rave about the clarity they receive from God as they re-engage the purpose and passion for their calling to use their creativity for the church.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][luv_dropcaps style=”luv-dropcaps-square” color_scheme=”default” letter=”7″][vc_column_text]You’ll miss an opportunity to maximize your creative potential from the hundreds of practical and hands on learning environments throughout the days of SALT Conference.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][luv_dropcaps style=”luv-dropcaps-square” color_scheme=”default” letter=”8″][vc_column_text]Not attending SALT will cause you to miss the unhindered worship, where you aren’t responsible for anything in the service, and instead you get to just simply worship![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][luv_dropcaps style=”luv-dropcaps-square” color_scheme=”default” letter=”9″][vc_column_text]You’ll miss out on how to deal with the stress, the tension, the burnout and the non-stop nature of Church, and instead find a better balance and rhythm for all the deadlines and tasks.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][luv_dropcaps style=”luv-dropcaps-square” color_scheme=”default” letter=”10″][vc_column_text]You’ll miss out on all the fun this entire community has from comedians like Ken Gray and Michael Jr, to the Food Trucks from some of the best food in all of Nashville, and finally the opportunity to be in this amazingly inspiring and creative community known as SALT.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

The post 10 Things You’ll Miss Not Attending SALT appeared first on SALT Community.