SPONSOR INFORMATION
SPONSOR'S ROLE and RESPONSIBILITES
Sponsoring a guest for a Great Banquet weekend is truly a gift to your guest and the Banquet weekend as a whole; your efforts are extremely important and help ensure that your guest receives the greatest possible benefit from their Banquet experience.
Following are a few suggestions for recruitment and the follow-up that is necessary to be an effective sponsor.
- Be intentional about talking to a prospective guest about the Banquet. Try to set a specific date to meet to explain all about the Banquet weekend. Answer all of his or her questions. If the person is married, try to talk to both the husband and wife equally and get both of their commitments. Tell the story of the Great Banquet by letting them know about your Banquet/Cursillo/Emmaus experience; tell them how meaningful the talks, chapel visits and worship services were. We ask only that you not share about the specific content of the talks, the many agape acts and the Candlelight service.
- Explain about Reunion Groups, Gatherings and that there will be a follow-up 4th Day meeting sometime following their banquet weekend (4th Day meetings are also announced on the Sunday of the banquet).
- As a sponsor, you will complete a Sponsor's Form and send it, along with your guest's Reservation Request and registration fee, to the address given on the form. (These forms are available under "Resources" in the Community Only section of this website.). You and your guest will each receive a letter of confirmation. Upon receiving your letter, call your guest immediately and share your joy! If, for any reason, your guest has changed their mind about attending, contact the Registrar immediately. There is usually a waiting list of people who want to attend, so the sooner we are aware of a cancellation, the sooner a waiting applicant can be contacted.
- You are responsible for soliciting ALL agape letters for your guest. Always ask your guest's spouse to write an agape letter (even if they have not attended a 3-day weekend), as well as other family members and close friends. Family and friend letters should have an "F" visible in the upper right-hand corner of the envelope so they will be opened first. An example of a sponsor's letter which may be used to request agape letters from your guest's family and friends is provided below. This is merely an example; feel free to modify and personalize it. SPECIAL NOTE: Gifts are not accepted for guests or team members during the Banquet weekends. Gifts are better given before the Banquet or immediately following on their 4th day.
- Keep in touch with your guest until you bring them to the Send-Off on Thursday night of the weekend, 7:00pm at the Mandarin Road Presbyterian Church Mandarin Road campus. If, at any time, it is determined that your guest cannot attend for any reason, contact the Registrar immediately.
- Plan to stay for the Sponsor's Hour held immediately following Send-Off. This is a time when guests and team members are prayed for individually by name and you will have the opportunity to pray specifically for your guest.
- Plan to attend the Candlelight service and the Closing ceremony and celebrate the Weekend with your guest.
- Plan to attend the 4th Day Gathering and Dinner. Immediately following the program, the most recent guests will attend a brief 4th Day meeting where they will get invaluable information regarding Reunion Groups.
- Assist your guest in finding a Reunion Group.
- Finally, encourage your guest to be a Christian witness in their family, workplace and church. Be their cheerleader so Jesus Christ is shared with the world!
SAMPLE INVITATION LETTER
Dear (Guest's name),
I would like to invite you to attend the next Great Banquet weekend just for (men/women) that will be held at Mandarin Presbyterian Church (Banquet dates).
The Great Banquet is a tremendous 72-hour spiritual retreat that I personally want you to have the chance to experience. You will build relationships with other (men/women) and with God that will be exciting and rewarding to you. You will be spiritually loved, strengthened and renewed in ways that you will ultimately cherish. I have attended the Great Banquet as a guest and found it to be a time where I was drawn closer to God and where I felt his love in the most powerful ways.
I have included some information with this invitation. First, the Great Banquet brochure. This is a more detailed explanation of the Great Banquet so that you will have a better idea of what it is all about. Secondly, the NEFGB Reservation Request form. Once you've accepted my invitation, please fill it out and return it to me.
I will give you a call soon to discuss this invitation and to tell you more about the Great Banquet experience! I sincerely hope you will plan to attend and that you will reserve Thursday through Sunday (Banquet dates) on your calendar. I am expecting God to do great things for you and me during this time.
Please pray about what God wants you to do in response to this invitation to His Great Banquet (Luke14:15-24).
In His service,
(Sponsor's name)
SAMPLE SPONSOR'S LETTER REQUEST
To family and friends of (name of guest),
(Your guest's name)
has accepted an invitation to attend the Great Banquet being hosted at Mandarin Presbyterian Church on (Banquet dates). This is a weekend experience designed to strengthen and renew the faith of Christians. It is structured like its counterparts; Cursillo, Walk to Emmaus and Tres Dias. If you have been a participant in any of these, let me know!!!
As a key part of the weekend, (your guest's name) will receive letters from family and friends which enriches their "feast" of experiencing God's love and goodness. I believe a letter from you would enhance this experience greatly.
Here are the details:
- Letters should be written of support and encouragement, perhaps mentioning why the person is important to you, their special qualities you admire (maybe things you've never even thought to express before) cherished memories, etc. ONLY (your guest's name) will read this letter.
- Seal it in an envelope with their name on it and mail it to me. Of, if you'd prefer, you can email it to me with (your guest's name) in the subject line. I will be careful NOT to read it, just to simply print it out and put it in an envelope.
- Please get this to me as soon as possible. It would help tremendously if I received it no later than (date in advance of weekend).
As (your guest's name) sponsor for this weekend, I appreciate your efforts to make this weekend a very special and memorable event for (him/her). It is most important that you do not mention this to (your guest's name). Thanks.
Most sincerely,
(Sponsor's name, address, email address, phone number)