Faith-informed Learning & Community
June 20 - 23, 2024
Sequanota Conference Center and Camp, Jennerstown, PA 15547
Amazing Speakers and Teachers
Interesting New and Old Friends
Relaxing and Inspiring Spaces
Stretch Your Mind, Connect with Others
We strive to live authentically as God’s people. Over the generations, people have found that it is easier to live and strive when we do it together. This is what the Tend Festival is all about - living, learning, and loving together.
A key component of the event is to simply provide open space for participants to engage one another. The idea is for spiritual explorers to gather to find community and support as we engage in a wide range of conversations.
The festival is designed to offer different “tents” or learning experiences to provide opportunities for conversation. Maybe the conversation is new to you, or maybe you are a seasoned veteran on a topic, but this weekend is curated to provide the space to discuss and explore together.
Tend Festival renamed from the 2023 Well Festival.
Program Fee $170/participant
The program fee includes all meals, lectures, worships, workshops for Friday - Sunday.
Youth (school-aged) program fee: $120/participant
Master Class $50/participant
** DESCRIPTION OF PAST CLASS ** This additional workshop/lecture is offered Thursday, June 22. Dr. Gil Waldkoenig will offer an in depth lecture and discussion on ELCA Social Statement on Economic life. More information under the Master Class tab above. The add-on fee includes the master class and supper on Thursday night.
Examples of Past Sessions
Festival sessions will be happening at one of our tent locations. Each tent area has an overall theme. Each session is being curated to provide time to learn and time to engage in questions and conversation. We are gathering a large team of speakers, who will speak on a wide array of topics. We are hoping to offer 5-8 options during each time slot. Please review the sample ideas listed below to get an idea of what an amazing event this is going to be.
Environment
- PA Master Naturalist hike & technology
- Feeding ourselves and our neighbors
- Hunting and ethics
- Climate change and faith
Economics, Justice & Advocacy
- Gender & Sexuality 101
- Personal finance planning & stewardship
- Advocacy and living the economic life
- Shop Local - does it matter?
Food & Health
- Mental Health
- Sports and faith
- Kids and Gardens
- The culture of greatness and how it affects our lives
Practical Theology
- Welcome in the congregation
- Finding your way in faith as a young adult
- Social media and evangelism
- Faith & Politics
Devotional/Spiritual Life
- Yoga
- Practicing Journaling
- Walking a Prayer Labyrinth
- Making a Prayer Shawl
Arts & Media
- Basket weaving
- Calligraphy
- Accessible parish art
- Liturgical paper cutting
Music
- Faith and sound workshop
- Hymn sing along
- Exploring the new All Creation Sings hymn book
- Live Band performances
Open Space
This is a designated tent area that will always be open to continue a conversation. Participants can share a topic they would like to talk about or continue a topic from earlier in the event. The space is designed to make an open space for continued conversation.
Lodging Options: Thursday - Sunday (3 nights)
| Bowersox Center Room - $150 | Main Camp Private Cabin - $100 | Main Camp Shared Cabin Bunk - $10 |
Bowersox Center rooms are hotel style and generally have two beds and a private full bathroom. Bed sizes vary from Twin XL to Queen depending on room set up.
Main Camp cabins can sleep up to 12 people in 6 bunk beds. Each cabin has a bathroom with two sinks, two toilets, and two showers.
To maximize our lodging, we ask that if you reserve a main camp cabin, you arrange for a minimum of 4-5 other festival participants to share it with you. On the registration page, there will be a payment option for each guest to pay individually or for one guest to pay for the entire cabin.
If you do not mind sharing a cabin with others, we are taking individual bunk reservations. Festival participants will be assigned a bunk in a cabin by camp staff.
Our Speakers
Each learning area will have an expert who will guide the conversation.
These tent experiences are designed for co-creation between the speaker and those who have gathered to engage the topic. Living life in community means digging deeper into the challenges and injustices of our time. And then engaging in dialogue with other passionate people to seek directions as we create possible solutions and or paths forward.
Frequently Asked Questions
We strive to live authentically as God’s people. Over the generations, people have found that it is easier to live and strive when we do it together. This is what the Well Festival is all about: - living, learning, and loving together. A key component of the event is to simply provide open space for participants to engage one another. The idea is for spiritual explorers to gather to find community and support as we engage in a wide range of conversations. The festival is designed to offer different “tents” or learning experiences to provide opportunities for conversation. Maybe the conversation is new to you, or maybe you are a seasoned veteran on a topic; but this weekend is curated to provide space to discuss and explore together. These tent experiences are designed for co-creation between the speaker and those who have gathered to engage the topic. Living life in community means digging deeper into the challenges and injustices of our time, then engaging in dialogue with other passionate people to possible solutions and paths forward. This extended weekend will include conversations, individual creative experiences, music, spiritual practices, recreation, natural stewardship, food, worship, fellowship, and time to just relax.
We welcome people of all faiths - or no faith - to join us in seeking the common good. We fully affirm and celebrate people of every age, ethnicity, gender expression, sexual identity, education, bodily condition, religious affiliation and economic background, including those who are most often marginalized.
For us, this means moving beyond belief to center ourselves in compassion and justice, to acknowledge our own privilege, to seek justice for those who suffer, to walk with those in need, and to seek wholeness for all of humanity and creation.
Water is an important Christian image. Water binds us to God, creation, and one another. Water is life sustaining. A well provided a gathering place for communities of old. Every household gathered at the well daily to retrieve the life-sustaining water. The Well Festival is an opportunity to gather, tell stories, and be nourished in life-sustaining community conversations.
We are co-creators together of this event. Every person has been created to be an active participant in life. At this festival, we invite you to live this truth out as you listen, talk, and engage in thought- provoking and artistic conversations. A goal is that however you chose to engage at the Well, you will move from passive observer to an engaged collaborator.
We are all storytellers. We each have a story to tell. Your experience of life is real and an important perspective that others need to hear. Creating open space for dialogue gives everyone an opportunity to tell their story as we seek to find ways to live together for the common good.
Radical Hospitality. We intentionally welcome all, without requiring adherence to any belief or creed. We seek to curate a space where everyone is valued, cared for, and included in meaningful connections with others. We strive to create brave space where challenging conversations might help us expand our personal boundaries of inclusivity.
Building up the community - one relationship at a time. As we make room for courageous conversation, grappling with questions, values, and differences, we move toward one another in compassion and humility. This festival is designed to make space for interactions with others. We hope that through our civil dialogue we will form and strengthen relationships that will help us strive together for the common good.
Yes. Children, youth, and families are welcome at Well Festival. There will be some Sequanota staff led activities specifically for children and youth.
We have created posters, a presentation slide (powerpoint), and three bulletin inserts to help folks get the word out. Please share these informational pieces as you see fit!
