We love Tammy SO much that we begged her to record TWO episodes with us this month! Catch Part 2 of our Summer MPD episodes today!
Cru Staff: Here is the Cru22 MPD Resource we reference in this episode.
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We love Tammy SO much that we begged her to record TWO episodes with us this month! Catch Part 2 of our Summer MPD episodes today!
Cru Staff: Here is the Cru22 MPD Resource we reference in this episode.
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Welcome to the Cru MPD podcast with Katie Johnson and Michele Davis. We love that the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel. We are driven to equip and inspire Christian workers to be Christ centered, fully funded and financially faithful, so that missionary staff can come alongside all people to help them to know Jesus. This process is more widely known as ministry partner development or MPD for short.
Michele Davis:Okay, so we've brought Tammy back. Hey, Tammy Doci? How you doing?
Tammy Doci:Good hanging in. Yeah, I'm doing well.
Michele Davis:We just can't get enough talking to Tammy. So Katie and I are here talking to Tammy and we I just need to really verbally process Cru22 You know, like the whole we're going we're actually going to be in person with 1000s of our best friends again. How are you guys feeling about it?
Tammy Doci:Thankful Yeah, to be back in person. It's I find it very life giving not always to be around a crazy large group, but just reconnecting with people that I love to see and get to share deep conversations with so
Michele Davis:yeah. Okay, but do you feel like tiny sad that you finally live in Colorado? And now it's moved to Milwaukee?
Tammy Doci:I do a little bit. Yeah, cuz I Yeah. I love Colorado. And I enjoy being up in Fort Collins to I think there's, since I'm in the springs, it's great to be up in Fort Collins. There's just different parts to explore. And the downtown is really fun. And you know, so we will miss Fort Collins for sure. Yeah, but Milwaukee is kind of up and up and coming kind of a, you know, from what I'm seeing on those videos. So. Yeah.
Katie Johnson:Yeah, I'm really excited, actually about Cru22. I think I'm just going so many years without seeing people. It'd be nice to not just be on a screen. But to actually see people in real life. And also, I am very excited about my roommate situation, which may sound...we're rooming together. And actually, I was thinking it could be fine. Since we're going to room together. Michele, I kind of wonder if we could do something fun with the podcast Cru22 like, hide things and like, swag and stuff. I don't know. I'm just thinking out loud here. Don't hold us to that listener.
Tammy Doci:MPD on the street like a street.
Katie Johnson:Yeah. That sounds magical. Okay. Yeah. So
Michele Davis:we would definitely need to get a different kind of microphone to do that. Which is fine. Right? We can reimburse that right? Yeah. Oh, my gosh, that's right. Because you have video equipment. Yeah, yeah. Yeah.
Katie Johnson:So stay tuned, maybe. TBD? Podcast on the street.
Michele Davis:See Katie and I out there with a camera and a microphone. You'll be like, I heard them talk about this in March. I can't believe they actually pulled it off. And they're really doing it.
Katie Johnson:Um, yeah. But besides that I am I am excited to room with some people and see people on the MPD team. There's some people I've only talked to right on video. And I get to see them in person this summer for the first time ever. So you see
Tammy Doci:that they're either much taller than you thought. And
Katie Johnson:it is so true. And that is people off video because I'm like, Oh, wow. And just so you guys know, I'm really short. So don't be shocked. Do you see me? And I'm short
Tammy Doci:because I think I've seen you both in person. So you know, you're saying for the greater audience out there, right? Yeah.
Michele Davis:Yeah. Yeah, I remember meeting a guy that I coached when he was new staff and I'd only met him on Zoom. And I was shocked at how tall he was. And it was like, like, I met him at a at one of the staff conferences. I was like, You are at least a foot taller than I thought you were and he just laughed cuz like, like, Why do I just assign in my head that everyone's five five or something and just assume
Katie Johnson:because that's the kind of I'm feel like I'm around people that are around that height. So
Michele Davis:yeah, my little extrovert heart is like so excited. And also like, really, do we really get to do this really, really? And I mean, and yes, in faith we meet this where we're all moving forward. What we're booking are places where We're making our plans. We're readjusting to the new city. And you know, it's been a while since we've had to pay for one of these conferences. Yeah.
Tammy Doci:Everybody's savings now right built up for their for their summer. So, people, it's possible
Katie Johnson:for the planners out there.
Michele Davis:pause... Ah, yeah. All right. Okay, so what are what are your guys thoughts on how do we like mentally prepare for the reality that that staff conference? Wow, beautiful it is beautiful and wonderful and so many great things happen. And it is an it's an it's a new financial opportunity. How do you get on paper that
Katie Johnson:I think this is interesting that we're the three that are on this because we're actually all Sosa and so our experience of the crew conference, financially even is a little different. And even raising support for that might be a little different than other people and other stuff out there. I'm sure. But I have not saved for. Um, but I think and actually I registered the other day and I thought, I wonder how much it's gonna be this year because they give you the total. You got to register Michele.
Tammy Doci:Okay. I haven't registered either. But I did start praying for the funds because just with housing and all that I was like, Okay, Lord, I'm gonna trust you for some special gifts this summer. And it started that prayer per request to the Lord. So, you know,
Michele Davis:that is good. Good, I think to me,
Tammy Doci:like I haven't started around with prayer, right? And go around with I don't mean to be like the spirit. But literally, I did. I was signing up for housing and I'm thinking okay, this is yeah, this is actually the past to two or three Cru's Since I've really since I've been back in the States. I've stayed at a local family's home with a dear friend and another dear friend of mine on staff and we, you know, give a kind of a blessing a gift, but there's no charge. And so housing is a new, you know, element for me this summer that I will be facing.
Michele Davis:So are you staying at a hotel? What?
Tammy Doci:Yeah, yeah, currently, I just the other day popped on to the, you know, our website and I think it's the Hilton something Milwaukee center or something. So hotel situation. But yeah, that has expenses involved. So there you go. I am so that's the prayer. There was a reason for it.
Michele Davis:For sure, I am so thankful that some bless his soul like did all that work to find those hotels. Thank you. Whoever you are, I hope you're hearing the things we are we are seeing at Airbnb. Nice nap. Well, that's just like we are seeing with another couple also, like my husband is actually coming and Katie's husband's coming and yeah, we are doing like this like three couple so like staff on staff affiliate super party,
Tammy Doci:I guess all the SOS all the SOSA staff will gather there like when you like to on the lawn or something and
Michele Davis:yeah, I do really. I do like want to I cuz I do like hosting during the conference, like having people over and so it's, that's harder when you're saying like, in the past in the dorms or in it? I don't know. It's
Katie Johnson:Michelle, tell me about her love of hosting with.
Michele Davis:Katie rethinks her life choices, asking me to be her roommate.
Katie Johnson:Oh, I'm right there. Okay. Um, yeah, I think there's a lot more expenses for us to think about this summer. And I think one thing that I'm trying to do to prepare for the summer and expenses is make sure my monthly support is solid.
Tammy Doci:So one thought for the summer in terms of kind of an idea is if you have a partner who really enjoys giving special gifts, doing like a special gift match, and asking that partner to give like a certain amount, you know, maybe it's a you know, 1000 or 2000 or something and, and then for every like he would he or she would match up to whatever you raise from other partners or new people that you're inviting into that and then you know, so people enjoy, I think when there is kind of a matching gift opportunity, and so whether it could be a ministry that doesn't, you know, matching gift I know, in past there's been some of those opportunities for different ministries, but I think too inviting a partner in to think through, like envisioning that partner and then and then your partner's other partners to give special gifts for it. And maybe it's not your whole team of partners, you know, maybe it's specific people that you want to invite.
Michele Davis:Yeah, that makes sense. I like to think through like, sometimes we borrow have just said casually, like, let me know, if you have any needs that come up. I have a couple churches who always say that, and I'm just thinking, this is the need this is when I play that card. This is when I asked, you know, because it is like, like, you know, hey, you have one time mentioned that I should let you know. And this, you know, this is like, I knew this conference was coming. Obviously, we all do. But it is outside of our normal annual budget. Right? Right. Unless you did the work to like add it into your monthly budget, and you've got your, what used to be called the CSU savings account and your staff account all saved up. And I guess they have to rename that in the system. But yeah, I I like to do like a more of a focus, like, ask at least first and to do that early enough. So I can assess like, do I need to do a more general ask also.
Tammy Doci:So so how might you cast a vision for? Like our Cru Conference?
Michele Davis:That's a great question.
Katie Johnson:In the past, when I've written asks like this, I've thought about, um, yeah, like, like, emphasizing, like, why do we gather, which is probably a good thing for offseason are like, Why are we even doing this? Why are we gathering but also emphasizing Yeah, like being a person, again, is really valuable. Having community among staff is really valuable. Gaining vision for our ministry is really valuable. And so I think there's a lot of elements that the crew conference every year, it really does, I think, add value to our ministry slowly. And so I think focusing on what does it add to our ministries, because it's not the normal, you know, direct impact of going to campus and sharing the gospel, right. But all these things that take place at Cru conferences, the sessions, and the worship and the community all very much impact our ministries. And so I think focusing on a few of those things like this impacts my ministry, this doesn't this does. And that could be different for each person. And maybe the different ways that you like to learn or take in information could also change the way you cast vision for the conference. But I think focusing in on Yeah, like, this is a conference, but here's why, like, this is the why and why. And how it impacts my ministry.
Michele Davis:Yeah, that's good. When I think back at past staff conferences, there have always been significant things that the Lord did in my life, or taught me or expose to new ideas, and some of them are, are deeper theology, you know, theology ideas, like spiritual ideas, and some of it's just really practical stuff, like, you know, we have there's various, like workshops and things and that like, that really are there to to help us with the practicals of our job. And so it is a really good opportunity for sharpening. Yeah.
Katie Johnson:Yeah, what do you think about sorry? Oh,
Michele Davis:used to be called staff training every year, right? Even though like, did, I think so like, because it was like, people went to get more extended training, or something. I think the conference can be a bit of a misnomer. It because it really is, like, you know, there's a lot that like, I think deep that happens at the conference that deeply impacts our ability to do our work throughout the year.
Katie Johnson:Well, and even related to that, it's gonna say, if you think about it, every job is going to have training that's required for their staff and their employees. And so it's almost like that, like, we do need to keep learning and being trained, and all the things and so I think it really plays into that aspect of a job as well.
Tammy Doci:For sure, yeah, there's a lot of great elements and, and things that are happening all at once, I think, you know, even just the exposure to our other ministries, you know, different than the one you're currently in and I will say one summer, I don't know if you remember that prayer tents that were outside of, of the Moby gym, and I remember, I mean, the Lord greatly used to someone who prayed for me one summer and that was just kind of very significant. So I mean, even and things like that. Like there's just all I, you know, I feel like there's you're exposed to all these different ministries different than your own. There's different trainings. So yeah, there's, there's a lot of, of great parts to our overall conference. So yeah,
Michele Davis:that's I really hope that happens again, that sounds really refreshing. Yeah. I'm thinking now about how I, you know, I have made a lot of my major decisions about what I was going to do next on staff at that conference. Like I decided to join the MPD team at one of these conferences, I decided to go to seminary at one of these conferences. And a lot of it is because of the conversations I was able to have, and that the time to pause from those normal tasks that we have in ministry, and then also be in proximity with our, our colleagues, other staff who can actually answer our questions and help us figure out some things and so I do, I think ahead about like, what, like the Lord's gonna do, I think amazing things there. And it'll be interesting, just as we prepare our hearts for the conference, I think like, what might the Lord want? I'm asking what might the Lord want to do in my life this summer? You know?
Tammy Doci:Yeah, especially coming out of such a challenging few years, where we've been isolated in so many ways, and just there's been a lot of, you know, every person's life just so many different, you know, yeah, struggles, challenges. Isolation, so I think that community and being together will be very vibrant. Yeah. So,
Michele Davis:yeah. Do you guys like think much about like, the timing of different i think i Okay. People, I think ask MPD coaches a lot, like, how should they time different asks back to the particle MPD part of this? You know, like, if you just didn't end of your ask, if you, you know, just been working on support, like monthly support? You know, is it okay to like, ask again? Or how do I time that out? Like, what are what are your thoughts? You guys I'm very curious to know.
Tammy Doci:I kind of see it similar to like the spring ask that many, many staff do for like a summer mission. And so and we do usually say, you know, kind of the six month timeframe between special asks, or maybe there's a more targeted group that you've invited into, that you'll invite into this, ask for example, I mean, I've heard of different staff, you know, maybe doing a more personalized like writing 10 partners to sponsor, you know, to sponsor it sounds kind of funny, but, you know, to partner at $500 with as a special gift, or, I know, some people have broken it up into days, how many days they're going to be at the conference and the cost kind of breakdown? And would you partner with me at 170? You know, would you take one one day of the conference and, and partner with me for that day? So that's okay, whatever that would be. Yeah. And just always vision lead, you know, in terms of, you know, but then being very specific, and I think people enjoy kind of rising to, you know, special invitation of like, okay, yeah, we can take a day or we'll take two days, you know, so maybe some ways, but I do see, you know, a lot of times we're raising support for a summer mission, or, you know, so it's natural in March, April, May to be doing, you know, some sort of special ask, I think,
Katie Johnson:would you combine them, right, like if say, someone's going on a summer mission a and Cru22. Would you combine that ask? I have always Yeah, yeah. And so if you're thinking about, like, a lot of people probably know, right, like, how much summer mission will be for them, or they're starting to know. So, how do we figure out especially being somewhere else in a new location? Like, how much do we need to ask for Cru22
Michele Davis:Well, Katie, I actually got a treat for you there. There's this calculator that I have recently learned about myself, you guys so don't, don't I get no credit for this. But another staff person had put together a a Cru conference calculator, and our MPD Opps Director MarC Woodruff has been like working with the Cru22 team to make sure that it is populated with the proper costs for like the childcare costs and the conference costs and very like various things with the hotels or at least a line where you can add in like, you know if like we got an Airbnb, we know how much it costs have we paid for that whole thing yet?
Katie Johnson:We can talk about that later. Oh,
Michele Davis:Oh my gosh, okay, yeah, we need, so I can populate my line on the calculator. So we are going to have that live on the MPD resource site. The week we release this podcast, so awesome. Yes. And so and then also on the resource site, we're going to also have some sample ask letters, and some different instructions. Because you know, sometimes it is kind of nice to just tell me again, how I might email someone or text someone to follow up with a letter, what do I do? So we'll have all of that post on the resource site and also linked up in workplace.
Tammy Doci:That's awesome. That'd be great. So have some practical resources. And one thing I was thinking about is because we're in a city, and not in Colorado, where you might go exploring and driving, doing all these things, like, you know, there's going to be different types of costs, right? So you may not need a car, I was just even thinking myself, do I need to run a car? Like maybe I don't, because I think I'm in walking distance to the venue. And so just even kind of thinking through some of those details, the little things?
Michele Davis:Yeah, and like, I kind of want to look up like, what to do around there. Like, is there like a museum? Are there different things like that, like, kind of think through some of those things? Yeah, I have no idea what what that's gonna look like,
Tammy Doci:right? At all. And we don't have a dining hall. I think Katie mentioned. And so that is a difference. Right? Like, it'll be? Yeah, as far as I know, I haven't registered yet. So maybe there's some things that are? I don't know. Yes.
Katie Johnson:I think there are businesses that are like giving discounts around. That's, I think I read that on the crew tweets website. Don't hold me too. That one, guys. Um, I also think there are like, even just things like bike paths. So do you want to rent a bike for the week? Right and love renting a bike? Right. Yeah. So I think those things kind of play into it. And, um,
Michele Davis:yeah, there's Yeah.
Katie Johnson:A lot of different expenses. I think that depending on where you're going to stay and your family and if you're bringing your family like, I'm probably keeping my kids at home, so that'll be less expense.
Michele Davis:Oh, yeah, I'm, yeah, I haven't taken my kids to a conference in a long time. But thank you, Mom and Dad for watching my kids. Shout out, but also to, like most of us are used to like how much it cost to go to Colorado and our location. So we probably all need to kind of do the math to figure out like, am I gonna drive? Am I gonna fly? Like what? Like that is just brand new.
Tammy Doci:Super helpful. For sure. I think that's a great tool.
Michele Davis:Yeah. Yeah, I'm assuming I'm driving.
Katie Johnson:Right. I know. It's interesting, because I think some people that have never had to fly are gonna have to fly this year. And yeah, like, I've always, well, there's been years where I've driven to Colorado. It's a tractor of
Michele Davis:the year, but I took classes all summer. Oh, yeah. That's the thing, too, is like classes are in a different location. Right. So this isn't, it's different than when people would literally move to Colorado for two months. You know, that's gonna be that's a different vibe, and, and also different costs. So if you're taking classes this summer, in Orlando, and then going to the conference, there is a, I think a time gap there to kind of like travel and recover, but that that's just going to impact your summer. So it's something to definitely figure out sooner than later.
Tammy Doci:Very true. Yeah. Do we know of anything happening around like, there? I know, the legacy track will happen for I think it's 55 and older staff will be there longer. Any other events happening longer that you guys know, of? Since classes are down in Orlando.
Katie Johnson:I think that's the only thing happening in addition to
Michele Davis:that, well, then, like, there's like ministry days, too, you know, right. But that's part of the conference, like campus days, and yeah,
Tammy Doci:but that's built within the conference. Yeah,
Michele Davis:this will be my first time not campus. I don't even know what do I do? What does us us LDHR do? I don't know. I'll just like hang out with Marc Rutter.
Katie Johnson:I will say I think like there might be people listening right that are maybe a little overwhelmed at this point. Oh, right. Like we have these all these expenses for group 20 do Oh, yeah, submission. Oh, yeah, I'm doing... Oh, all the logistics, all the money. Um, and I just want to speak into that for one minute. Like, we're talking about this now, because God is big enough to provide for all your needs and more. And so we are called to take action and ask, walk in faith and trust the Lord. And so this is not on you. This is this is all the support you need to raise is not your responsibility necessarily. It is up to the Lord to do but you have to take the steps to make it happen. And so we want to encourage you keep stepping by faith and asking people. But don't let all the numbers overload you, because we do serve a God that holds all resources. Right? And so he is able to do this and more and he will always provide for us so we don't want you to feel overwhelmed after listening to this. But hopefully you are starting to think about these things because now's the time to start thinking about them.
Michele Davis:Thanks for listening to The Cru MPD podcast. Please help others find our show by liking, sharing and readiness on Apple iTunes, and wherever you listen to podcasts. You can find us on social media by searching for the Cru MPD podcast. Check out the show notes for more information including the various resources we mentioned in this episode. Till next time, we encourage you to be faithful and full of faith in all things, especially in MPD