Apprentice Gathering Updates
Below are updates and information on the Apprentice Gathering 2026. New updates are provided every Thursday leading up to the first day of the conference.
Riney Chapel Live-Streaming
Again this year, we will live-stream the all-conference aTalks in the beautiful chapel in the Riney Fine Arts Building.
If you are running late or just need a bit of space to breathe, consider this option. The chairs are spacious and comfortable, and the big screen is more than sufficient for participating in worship music and listening to the plenary speakers’ talks and interviews. A beverage station will be located in the hall outside of the chapel.
NEW THIS WEEK!
Parking on Campus
We know some of you will be driving vehicles to the gathering. Parking is available on campus parking lots and street parking surrounding the university, with the exception of the lot behind Davis Hall. A map of the campus including available parking lots is included in your conference booklet. No parking permit is required.
NEW THIS WEEK!
Wheelchair Accessibility
Elevators are located on the northeast side of Davis (DAV) Hall, in the Business & Technology Building (BTB), and in the Casado Student Center (CSC). Golf carts will also be available to transport attendees who could use a lift between buildings. Numbers to text for assistance will be printed in the conference booklet that you receive upon check-in.
- Are TAG attendees allowed to eat lunch with the students in the cafeteria?
- No, unfortunately, we don’t have seating capacity in the cafeteria for TAG attendees during the lunch hour. The TAG luncheon will be held on the Rose Window Plaza in front of Davis Hall.
- This is my first time attending TAG. Is there time to leave campus for lunch and get back in time for my intensive/workshop?
- While we certainly honor attendees’ lunch choices, informal feedback from previous years indicates that staying on campus is preferable to leaving for lunch. On Thursday, you will have just under 2 hours from the time the first intensive ends and the afternoon session begins. On Friday, the morning session ends at 12:15, and Workshop #1 starts at 1:45. (just under 90 minutes) P.S. We do not work on commission. 😊
- May I buy multiple tickets for my group?
- We request that the tickets be purchased individually so each person will have his/her electronic email receipt to present at the front of the line.
- Do I have to purchase the tickets in advance?
- Yes. As you might imagine, we have to submit ticket numbers in advance of the gathering. The final count will be collated and sent to the catering company on September 16. Tickets will not be available for purchase on the days of the luncheons.
- Will there be gluten-free options available for lunch?
- Yes, gluten-free options will be available, with the exception of bread.
- Remind me….How much are the tickets?
- Each-day ticket: $15.
Speaking of questions, several of you have indicated that you don’t remember what intensive and workshop choices you made. Not to worry! Thanks to Bronwyn, TAG Team member extraordinaire, your selections, along with room numbers, will be printed on the name tag that you receive when you register.
Shuttle Service:
- Thursday- 7:00-9:30 am / 11:15 am-2:00 pm / 3:45-9:15 pm
- Friday- 7:00-9:30 am / 12:00-2:15 pm / 4:30-9:15 pm
- Saturday- 7:00-9:30 am / 11:45 am-1:15 pm
- HOTELS PICK-UP/DROP-OFF POINTS:
- The Drury pick-up will be close to the east entrance of the hotel. Homes2Suites will pick up at the north entrance, and WaterWalk will pick up at the fence next to the Maple Street entrance.
- UNIVERSITY PICK-UP/DROP-OFF POINTS:
- On Thursday, the university shuttle will drop people off at the Business and Technology Building (BTB) where most intensive sessions will occur. It will be available to pick up intensive participants at 4:00 at BTB and transport them back to the hotel. Your conference booklet includes a map of the university, and the shuttle stop is marked on it.
- Starting at ~4:45pm on Thursday, the university shuttle stop will be at the east end of the sidewalk at Davis Hall.
- We ask for your grace, as there may be some wait time. Also, in the morning, please consider taking an early shuttle to avoid last-minute congestion. There may be over 500 people who need a ride, so it won’t work if everyone waits to leave the hotel at 8:30!
- While not a perfect system, we believe this is the most efficient way to transport all who want a ride. Of course, you are welcome to call an Uber/taxi if you prefer.
- Finally, if you are ‘stranded’ and need a ride, please call Eddi at 713-516-6359.
Group Spiritual Direction
- To register for a GROUP session on Friday, September 25 from 7:30-8:15 am, click here:
- To register for a GROUP session on Saturday, Sept 26 from 7:30-8:15 am, click here:
- The simple answer is no, it is included in your registration fee. A sandwich box from Jimmy Johns that includes a full sandwich, chips, and a cookie will be provided. There will be a variety of sandwich types, to be distributed on a first-come/first-served basis.
- A bread-free sandwich option will be available for the individuals who place an order in advance. They will be labeled and distributed to those who ordered them. Click Here to order a bread-free sandwich.
- Water will be provided, and soda will be available for purchase from the Friends University English Club.
- Gem and Alan Fadling – Pause, Reflect, and Process
- This session offers space to pause, reflect, and process what God may be stirring in you. Through a simple spiritual practice, personal reflection, and meaningful conversation with others, the Fadlings will help you slow down enough to notice the insights, invitations, and next steps emerging from your conference experience. Location: Alumni Auditorium – Davis Hall
- Philoxenia Choral Collective Concert
- This musical concert, designed specifically for TAG, includes a narrative that weaves poetry, music, and movement together to tell a story. It blends choral music with other genres as a way to reimagine the choral music experience. It is performed by a Wichita-based group who desires to cultivate community in a world of accelerating isolation via an artistic avenue: choral music. Location: Sebits Auditorium – Riney Fine Arts Building
- 5:15-6:45 – Gather on Rose Window Plaza for food, fellowship and book signing.
- 6:45-7:00 – Move to the Alumni Auditorium (3rd floor Davis) or the Auditorium in Riney Fine Arts Building.
- 7:00-8:00 – Sunset Sessions
- 8:00-?? – Shuttles transport people back to conference hotels.
- 9:00-11:30 Preconference Intensive #1 Locations throughout campus (See conference booklet)
- 11:30-1:30 Lunch – On Your Own (Rose Window Plaza for lunch ticket holders)
- 1:30-4:00 Preconference Intensive #2 Locations throughout campus (See conference booklet)
- 4:00-7:00 Ministry Resource Area Open in Riney Fine Arts Center - Break and Dinner – On Your Own
- 6:00-6:30 Evening Prayer – Sanctuary – (DAV) Room 214
- 6:30-7:00 Auditorium and Chapel Doors Open
- 7:00-8:30 All-Conference Opening Session w/Jim Smith & Keas Keasler- DAV Alumni and Riney Chapel
- 7:30-8:15 Group Spiritual Direction Session w/Soul Shepherding – Riney Chapel
- 7:45-8:15 Morning Prayer-Sanctuary – (DAV) Room 214
- 8:30-9:50 All-Conference Session w/Kelly Kapic – DAV Alumni and Riney Chapel
- 9:50-10:50 Break
- 10:00-10:20 Stretch and Strengthen Session on Rose Window Plaza
- 10:50-12:15 All-Conference Session with Amy Peeler, followed by Singing Quaker Performance - DAV Alumni and Riney Chapel
- 12:15-1:45 Lunch (On Your Own) Rose Window Plaza for Lunch Ticket Holders
- 12:30-1:00 Noontime Prayer – Sanctuary – (DAV) Room 214
- 1:45-3:10 Friday Workshop #1 – Locations throughout campus (See conference booklet)
- 3:10-3:40 Break
- 3:40-5:05 Friday Workshop #2 – Locations throughout campus (See conference booklet)
- 5:15-5:45 Evening Prayer – Sanctuary - (DAV) Room 214
- 5:15-6:45 Fun, Food and Fellowship on Rose Window Plaza
- 7:00-8:00 Sunset Sessions: Two Offerings
- Pause, Reflect, and Process w/Gem and Alan Fadling – Davis Hall – Alumni Auditorium
- Philoxenia Choral Collective Concert – Riney Fine Arts – Sebits Auditorium
- 7:30-8:15 Group Spiritual Direction Session w/Soul Shepherding – Riney Chapel
- 7:45-8:15 Morning Prayer – Sanctuary (DAV) Room 214
- 8:30-9:50 Saturday Morning All-Conference Session #1 with Tish Harrison Warren
- 9:50-10:20 Break
- 10:20-11:25 Saturday Morning All-Conference Session #2 with Darryl Williamson
- 11:25-11:55 Acknowledgements/Passport Prize Drawing/ TAG 2027
- 11:55-12:00 Closing Benediction
We are on a quest to upgrade the on-campus dining experience for TAG’s Thursday and Friday lunches. (While you are welcome to go anywhere you like for lunch, many attendees and volunteers prefer staying on campus.) This year, we have contracted with a popular local catering company to provide a simple meal for each day.
Weather permitting, the lunch buffet will be served outside on the Rose Window Plaza and will have multiple serving lines for efficiency. The tickets are $15 each and will include a protein, vegetable, salad, and dessert. A gluten-free option will also be available, along with a water station.
Please know that we are praying for each of you as you prepare for the gathering. If you have questions, concerns, or suggestions, just give us a shout. ( eddip@hotmail.com or 713-516-6359 (cell)
Blessings,
Eddi, Jacob and Bronwyn