Saturday – August 23

Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport
14035 Airport Road, Gulfport MS 39503

Let us know your flight plans and we will plan to provide transportation from and to the airport.
You will only be about 15 minutes from the resort.

• 3:00 - 6:00 p.m. - Conference Check-in @ Grand Centennial Hotel

• Dinner on your own at onsite restaurants or:

• Patio 44, 1244 24th Avenue, Gulfport, MS 39501

• Half Shell Oyster House, 2500 13th St #1, Gulfport, MS 39501

• Shaggy’s, 1724 E Beach Blvd, Gulfport, MS 39501

Sunday – August 24

• Breakfast on your own at onsite restaurants or:

• Waffle House, 4324 W Beach Blvd, Gulfport, MS 39501-1327

• Cracker Barrel, 15255 Crossroads Pkwy, Gulfport, MS 39503-3570

• 10:00 a.m. — Load bus for church

• 10:30 a.m. — Worship Service @ First Baptist Church, Gulfport, 12190 MS 605, Gulfport, MS 39503

• Lunch at First Baptist Church, Gulfport

  Free time at Centennial Plaza (Lazy River, Pool, Beach, Rest)

• 4:30 p.m. — Registration Table Open, Centennial Plaza Chapel

Connections Conference Kick-Off

• 5:00 p.m. — Welcome, Centennial Plaza Chapel

  Sean Milner, BCV Executive Director
  Dana Philips, New Mexico Baptist Children’s Home, Connections President

  Welcome - Heavy Hors D’oeuvres

  Ministry Highlights

  “Game Show” Games

• 7:00 p.m. — Ice Cream Sundae Bar 

• 8:30 p.m. — Evening Festivities Conclude    

Monday – August 25

• 8:00 a.m. — Breakfast at Centennial Plaza Chapel

• 8:30 a.m. — Devotional, Neil Tullos, FBC Wiggins

• 9:00 a.m. — Communications/Development Joint Session

  “Keeping Your Voice in the Age of AI” with Nathan Hill from Avid AI

• 10:00 a.m. — Break

• 10:15 a.m. — Ministry Highlights (Can show video)

• 10:30 a.m. — Connections Breakout Sessions

  Communications - Crisis Communications in the Digital World with Gerard Braud (Jared Bro), Braud Communications
  Development - Donor Acquisition, Retention, Key Multi-Year Strategies with Nathan Hill from Avid AI

  11:45 a.m. — Break

• 12:00 p.m. — Lunch (Centennial Plaza Chapel)

• 12:45 p.m. — Ministry Highlights (Can show video)

• 1:00 p.m. — Roundtable Discussions (Centennial Plaza Chapel)

  Two Development Tables
  1. Donor Acquisition/Retention Discussion - Nathan Hill, Avid AI
  2. Church Engagement- Michael Bozeman, Alabama Baptist Children's Homes & Family Ministries

  Two Communication Tables
  1. Crisis Communicaton Discussion - Gerard Braud, Braud Communications
  2. Rebranding - Ashley Wolff, STCH Ministries

• 1:45 p.m. —  Roundtable Discussions (Centennial Plaza Chapel)
  Two Development Tables
  1. Fundraising Trends - Mike Williams, Oklahoma Baptist Homes for Children
  2. Recurring Donors - Kyle Luke, STCH Ministries

  Two Communication Tables
  1. SituationHub Discussion - Gerard Braud, Braud Commuications
  2. Keeping Your Voice in the Age of AI discussion - Nathan Hill, Avid AI

• 2:30 p.m. — Break

• 2:45 p.m. - Ministry Highlights (Videos)

• 3:00 p.m. — Roundtable Discussions (Centennial Plaza Chapel)

  Two Development Tables
  1. Events - Carla Bayer, Oklahoma Baptist Homes for Children
  2. Recurring Donors - Kyle Luke, STCH Ministries

  Two Communication Tables
  1. Rebranding - Deborah Young, Oklahoma Baptist Homes for Children
  2. Social Media Campaigns - Blake Ragsdale, Baptist Children’s Homes of North Carolina

• 3:45 p.m. — Roundtable Discussions

  Two Development Tables
  1. Newbies (One-on-one with Seasoned Dev Officers)
  Paula Joy, Illinois Baptist Children’s Home and Family Services
  Mike Williams, Oklahoma Baptist Homes for Children
  2. CEO Fundraising - Jay Boyd, Connie Maxwell Children’s Ministries

  Two Communication Tables
  1. Newbies (One on one with Seasoned Com) - Blake Ragsdale and Dana Phillips 
  2. Podcasting 101 . . . On a budget - Ashley Wolff, STCH Ministries

• 4:30 p.m. —Break - Prepare to leave for Aquarium

• 5:45 p.m. — Load up for Aquarium Tours and Dinner, 2100 E Beach Blvd, Gulfport, MS 39501

• 6:00 p.m. — Aquarium Tours (Must have name tags)

• 7:00 p.m. — Dinner/Entertainment at the Aquarium

  Ministry Highlights (Can show video)

• 8:30 p.m. — Return to Centennial Plaza

Tuesday – August 26

• 8:30 a.m. — Breakfast (Centennial Plaza Chapel)

• 9:15 a.m. — Devotional, Josh Cougle, Pastor FBC, Lyman

• 9:30 a.m. — Ministry Highlights (Can show video)

• 9:45 a.m. — Connections Conference Business Meeting

  Dana Philips, Connections President

• 10:15 a.m. — Wrap Up and Welcome to New Mexico—Make plans for the 2026 Connections Conference

• 10:30 a.m. — Adjourn

Host: The Baptist Children’s Village

114 Marketridge Drive

Ridgeland, MS 39157

601.952.2422

baptistchildrensvillage.com