Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the cost to attend?
Early registration for the WELS National Conference on Lutheran Leadership is $249 per person. Early registration has been extended through Nov. 23. After early bird is over the cost per attendee is $299 per person. Deadline to register is December 5.
Registration fees include breakfast and lunch on Tuesday and Wednesday, as well as any materials/resources shared in all sessions.
Congregations that send three or more individuals will receive a $40 rebate per person after the conference. (The maximum rebate is $200 per congregation.)
Attendees must register individually. How does the rebate work? During registration, attendees list their home congregation. After the convention, WELS will issue the congregation a rebate if they qualify by sending enough individuals. For example, if your congregation had four people attend, it would receive a check for $160. If it had six people attend, it would receive a check for $200, as that is the maximum rebate.
Attendees must book their own hotel rooms at the Hilton Chicago.
My congregation is going to send multiple attendees. How do we register them together?
Registration is set up to be done individually, due to internet privacy laws regarding contact information. If attendees gave someone at your congregation (e.g. the church secretary) permission, that person could register those individuals and pay for them with a congregational credit card. Otherwise, individuals can register themselves and, if the congregation is covering the expenses, the congregation can reimburse those individuals.
When will we get the rebate for sending multiple attendees?
After the convention concludes, we will use the list of those who attended to issue travel rebates to congregations that qualified. Only paid registrations from that congregation will be included in that congregation’s count. If the congregation had a member serve as a presenter (and that presenter had their registration covered by the conference), that member would not be included in the congregation’s total count.
Does registration include all meals?
Registration includes breakfast and lunch on both Tuesday and Wednesday. There will also be refreshments served at certain breaks.
Dinner on Monday and Tuesday evening is on your own. There will be opportunities for networking which can continue over dinner. There are two restaurants in the Hilton Chicago. Within two blocks are dozens of others, including multiple fast-food options. There is also a grocery store with deli within one block.
How do I reserve lodging at the Hilton Chicago hotel?
Attendees are responsible for reserving their hotel room at the Hilton Chicago. Rooms are all $129 per night for single or double occupancy as part of a discount room block. Those reduced rates are available from Saturday, January 14, 2023, through checkout on Thursday, January 19, 2023. This is longer than the conference but made available if individuals/groups want to stay longer for meetings or recreation.
Parking in the secure lot at the hotel is $20 per day.
How do I get to the Hilton Chicago?
Bus
We have contracted two buses from Wisconsin for service to and from the leadership conference. Pick-up/drop-off choices are either Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary (11831 N. Seminary Drive, Mequon, Wis.) OR the WELS Center for Mission and Ministry (N16W23377 Stone Ridge Drive, Waukesha, Wis.).
Pick-up times from each location will be on Monday, January 16 at 8:00 a.m., arriving in Chicago at 10:45 a.m. and departing Wednesday, January 18 from Chicago at 1:30 p.m., arriving back in Wisconsin at 4:15 p.m. Each seat is $50. We expect the buses to fill up quickly, so grab your seats while they are available!
Driving
Visit the Hilton – Chicago website for directions and other helpful travel information.
Flying
Chicago has two major airports.
O’Hare International Airport (airport code: ORD) is 15-18 miles from the Hilton. Midway International Airport is 12 miles from the Hilton.
Getting from the airport to the Hilton:
- Uber or Lyft – Unless you are traveling at a surge time, both should cost around $35.
- Subway – Both O’Hare and Midway have subway stops right at the airport. From O’Hare, the Blue Line will take a rider to the LaSalle stop, which is less than a mile from the Hilton. From Midway, the Orange Line takes you the Roosevelt stop, which is less than a mile from the Hilton. The subway will cost $2 to $4 to ride. An Uber or Lyft for that final mile would be approximately $5.
- AirportExpress – This shuttle service is a good option for transferring larger groups. It can be as low as $30 per person if your group is large enough.
- Rental car – The airport tax in Chicago mean a rental will be at least $55 daily. If you want to see portions of the city during your stay, utilizing Uber or Lyft will likely be less expensive. However, if you wish to consider this option, note that WELS has negotiated rates with a number of rental car companies.
Visit the Hilton – Chicago website for directions and other helpful travel information.
Where do I park when I arrive?
Parking will be available for $20 per night on a first come, first served basis until the parking garage is full.
- Choose self park when you arrive and let them know at the front desk when you check in. There is room for about 400 cars in the parking garage.
- If the parking garage is full when you arrive, we suggest you use an app like spot hero to find reasonable parking.
What is the dress code?
Casual dress is acceptable.
Are there accommodations for special needs?
Yes, any special needs should be listed on your registration form so we can make the necessary arrangements.
If you need an accessible guest room, please advise the hotel directly when you make your reservation.
Will there be presenters at the conference who are not members of WELS or one of WELS’ sister churches?
No. There would be nothing inherently wrong with having non-WELS presenters. However, the aim of this conference is to talk about leadership from the perspective of Confessional Lutheranism. Therefore, every presenter is either a member of WELS or ELS.
Will there be a photographer at the conference?
Yes, we do plan to have official photographs taken for our records and for use in WELS publications. By registering for the conference, you grant us permission to use any video footage or photographs in which you may appear.
Will videos or recordings of the presentations be made available after the conference?
No. For some presentations, summary and supplementary materials will be given to attendees as part of their registration cost. But the filming of the presentations is not permitted.
Will child care be provided?
Child care will not be provided and children should be supervised at all times.
What is the cancellation policy?
Cancellation Policy
If you need to cancel your registration, you will receive 100% reimbursement if you make the request before October 31, 2022. From November 1, 2022, to November 30, 2022, you will receive a 50% reimbursement. After that, we are locked into food and amenity costs and cannot offer a reimbursement.
Once you are registered, you will receive an Auto-Receipt e-mail from Authorize.net with your payment information. Please keep this receipt for your records. No refunds will be processed without a receipt.
To cancel a hotel room reservation, you must work directly with Hilton – Chicago.
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