SCHEDULE 

We are so excited to be together for this time in New York. This specific retreat we have the opportunity to take advantage of some fantastic presenters in the city from our greater planting network. We have shifted a couple of our regular retreat rhythms to maximize these opportunities. Please review the schedule below carefully so that you can begin planning now!

THURSDAY (11/13)

3:00pm-5:00pm - Aug25 English Cohort Connecting Session

5:00-5:30pm - Check-in

5:30-7:15pm - Family Dinner/Commissioning + Graduation Ceremonies

7:15-9:00pm - All Cohort Session

FRIDAY (11/14)

8:45-9:00am – Arrival

9:00 -10:00am – Worship

10:00-12:00pm – Sessions

12:00-1:00pm - Lunch

1:00-5:00pm – Sessions

5:00pm– Dinner Offsite/Free time (We will be giving you all stipends for meals on Friday night so that you can go out on the town together!)

SATURDAY (11/15)

8:30-8:45am – Arrival

8:45-9:05 - Worship

9:10-10:30am – All Cohorts Session

10:30-12:00pm – Sessions

12:00-1:00pm - Debrief/ Lunch

AIRPORTS

We recommend one of these airports for travel to retreat:

1. LaGuardia Airport (13 minute uber/taxi ride or 30 minutes by metro to New Life Fellowship)
2. JFK Airport (42 minute uber/taxi or 32 minutes by metro to New Life Fellowship)
3. Newark Airport ( 60 minute uber/taxi or 1 hr 20 minutes by metro to New Life Fellowship)

Transport Options from Airport:

• Uber/Lyft (Convenient)

• Yellow Cabs (Flat fare from JFK)

• Public Transit (MetroCard or OMNY tap-and-go)

Please ensure that you plan your travel accordingly to be able to participate in all of the scheduled retreat sessions!

HOTELS

We will be staying at two hotels right next to each other in Queens Plaza. Both offer direct access to Manhattan, Central Park, The Empire State Building, and a host of restaurants and museums!

• Hilton Garden Inn (29-21 41st Ave, Long Island City, NY 11101)
• Aloft (2745 Jackson Ave, Long Island City, NY 11101)

We will be providing stipends to each of you for breakfast during your stay so that you can eat at the place of your choosing.  Lunch + Dinner will be provided on site during the retreat.

Multiply handles all of the hotel reservations. You will receive a confirmation number from the hotel you will be staying in a few weeks prior to retreat.  For those of you that are planning on extending your stay past what is covered with retreat please contact Bobby (bhowell@foursquare.org) to discuss your hotel assignment.

LOCATION

Our Fall retreat will be hosted at New Life Fellowship in Queens, NYC (Address: 82-10 Queens Blvd., Elmhurst, NY 11373). Please note that the retreat location is not within walking distance of the hotels.  It is best accessed via the metro (25 min ride) or uber/taxi.  Please see the transportation tab for directions on getting from the hotel to the retreat location.

TRANSPORTATION

The Metro is one of the easiest ways to get around NYC!

We will be covering the cost of an unlimited metro card for you during the retreat.  This way you can get to/from the retreat, as well as explore the town.  Your metro cards will be available at the registration table when you check in for retreat.  We know that for a number of you this will be your first time in New York and that the metro can be overwhelming for some.  It is a straight metro ride to retreat from the hotels.   For those that would like to do so, as we get closer to retreat we will be arranging groups to travel on the metro together to/from retreat.

* If you are going to be arriving early and need your metro card to get around town and to the retreat we can arrange for it to be at the hotel when you check in.  Please contact Lauren for English-Speaking cohorts (lweholt@foursquare.org) or Adriana for Spanish- Speaking Cohorts (akosacki@foursquare.org).  All metro cards will be at the registration table at New Life Fellowship unless requested differently.

Uber is another easy option for getting around town.  If you choose to use this method you will be responsible to cover the cost.

Please Note: We do not recommend driving - driving in New York is not like driving in other cities.  There is not parking available at New Life or at the hotels.  The only parking available is paid lots nearby. If you chose to drive and park the cost of parking will be your responsibility.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

• Will meals be provided during the retreat? Yes, Lunch and Dinner will be provided during the retreat.  On Friday night you will all be given a stipend to have dinner out on the town at the place of your choosing. We will also be providing stipends to each of you for breakfast during your stay so that you can eat at the place of your choosing. If you have any food allergies please note that on your registration as we will do our best to accommodate.

• Is there childcare available and can I bring my children to the retreat? Unfortunately, due to the constraints and restrictions of each location we are not able to provide childcare nor are you are able to bring your children to the in-person training. We do allow for babies under the age of two that need to remain with their mother to attend as long as they are not disruptive to the training. We encourage couples to talk about this at the start of the cohort as we ask both spouses to attend the in-person training and realize this may mean a bit of extra planning on the front end.

• What should I wear to the retreat? Whatever you feel most comfortable in! This is not a formal gathering nor is there a dress code.  We do recommend bringing comfortable shoes to walk around NYC, as well as a jacket as it can get cold! Check the forecast before coming to help with packing other clothing items - layers this time of year can be helpful.

• What is covered for retreat? We cover your hotel and meals during the retreat.  We cover your flight to/from retreat. (if married, we cover the flight for your spouse to attend as well).We also cover these meals during retreat:
  • Thursday, 11/13, Dinner
  • Friday, 11/14, Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner
  • Saturday, 11/15, Breakfast & Lunch
  • Lunch and Dinner will be provided on site during the event.  You will receive a stipend for breakfast during your stay so that you can eat at the place of your choosing.

• How do reimbursements for flights work?
  English- Speaking cohorts: please submit your flight receipt to Bobby (bhowell@foursquare.org).
  Spanish- Speaking cohorts: please submit your flight receipt to Adriana (akosacki@foursquare.org). Reimbursements will be processed to your Sending Partner Church, who can then reimburse you directly so please communicate with them as well.  We are not able to process reimbursements directly to individuals. You must submit your receipt within 45 days of purchase to be eligible for reimbursement, we cannot reimburse receipts past 45 days.

• How do I get from the Airport to the retreat location + from the hotel to the retreat location? Uber or the metro will be the easiest way to get from the airport to New Life Fellowship for retreat registration on Thursday.  Planters are responsible to get themselves to the retreat. After that we will be covering the cost of an unlimited metro card for you during the retreat.  This way you can  get to/from the retreat, as well as explore the town.  Your metro cards will be available at the registration table when you check in for retreat.  We know that for a number of you this will be your first time in New York and that the metro can be overwhelming for some.  It is a straight metro ride to retreat from the hotels.  For those that would like to do so, as we get closer to retreat we will be arranging groups to travel on the metro together to/from retreat.  You can see more information about transportation recommendations on the Transportation Tab!

THINGS TO DO

Some of you may be planning to come early or stay later to make the most of our time in NYC! Here are some recommendations if you have free time:

NYC Landmarks + Places to See

• Central Park – Take a walk, rent a bike, or just relax on a bench in this massive green oasis in the middle of Manhattan. (Map)

• Top of the Rock / Rockefeller Center – Stunning skyline views. (Website)

• Times Square – Bright lights, big crowds, classic New York. Worth seeing at least once.

• Brooklyn Bridge – Walk from Manhattan to Brooklyn and take in views of the skyline and Statue of Liberty.

• St. Patrick’s Cathedral – A beautiful place of worship and prayer in midtown Manhattan. (Website)

• 9/11 Memorial & Museum – A sobering, powerful experience of remembrance and resilience. (Free outdoor memorial; museum requires admission)
  (Website)

 Museums

• The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) – Modern art lovers, this one’s for you. (Website)

• The Metropolitan Museum of Art – One of the largest and most impressive museums in the world. (Website)

• American Museum of Natural History – Fun, educational, and iconic. Great for a relaxed visit.

 Local NYC Spots

• Chelsea Market – A mix of food vendors, shops, and NYC vibes indoors. (Website)

• SoHo – Window shop or people-watch in this artsy, stylish district.

• Bryant Park – A lovely urban park with tables, music, and a peaceful atmosphere near the NY Public Library.