On Oct. 26-28, 2021, Canterbury Retreat & Conference Center in Oviedo will host the inaugural U.S. and Central Florida Christian Chamber of Commerce Business Expo. Per the chamber website, the event will further the chamber’s mission “to build Kingdom, business, and community through workshops and seminars with a faith-based speaker lineup and exhibit hall,” and is designed to influence Christian business leaders to impact their employees and customers.
The Business Expo will include 12 sessions specifically designed to speak to the modern Christian business professional, including “How to Nurture Your Innovative Brain” by David Prosper, founder & CEO at Shepherd Revolution Leadership Academy; “Priority and Time Management” by Joe Pici, CEO, Pici & Pici Inc.; “Keys to Personal Revitalization” by Pete Folch, founder-president of Second Wind-Finish Strong Inc; “Rehumanizing Your Workforce, The Compounding Power of People, Process, and Parables” by Krystal Parker, president, U.S. & Central Florida Christian Chamber of Commerce; “The REAP System: Building a Better Self and Society,” by Edward G. Young III, TedX Speaker and founder of One-Minute Motivation Series; and “Everyone Does NOT Share Our Values in Cyberspace: A Practical Guide to Risk Management in an Increasing Complex Digital World” by Jeff Sauntry, CEO of Risk Neutral, an Enterprise Risk Management.
An exhibit hall featuring more than a dozen sponsoring organizations, including World Vision, AffordableONE Insurance, Joy FM and Christian HELP will be open every day. Buffet lunches will be available for $15.
For the 48-acre Canterbury, which has served as a ministry of the Diocese of Central Florida since 1982, the expansion into additional partnerships means kingdom networking, and in this case, a way to influence the influencers of America. It’s also a step toward a full return to the facility of visiting organizations and groups.
Earlier this year, Canterbury Director Chalmers Morse spoke about the “challenge” of lost business during the COVIC-19 shutdown. During that time, the center hosted a number of quarantined families and first responders in an effort to be of service during the pandemic. Since then, Canterbury has hosted several events, ranging from grief support groups and marital counseling sessions to Christian-based meditative groups hoping to connect with God in a beautiful setting.
Canterbury’s marketing department attributes the uptick in outside groups renting the facility to the center’s recent renovations. Regarding the event, a spokesperson said the Central Florida Christian Chamber of Commerce is putting $12,000 worth of commercials into supporting the Expo, which will in turn expose the retreat center to an even larger audience of potential partners. “Things are on the upswing,” the spokesperson said, and the sales and marketing team is aggressively pursuing new relationships with like-minded Christian organizations.
Registration costs for the Central Florida Christian Chamber of Commerce Business Expo range from $50 for an Expo Floor Pass to $199 for a Member Three-Day Pass. The Canterbury Retreat & Conference Center is also offering rooms starting at $75 a night. Find more information at uschristianchamber.com.