Higher Things- Colorado 2025

After 11/2/25 contact DCE Suzanne Watt directly to sign up

PLEASE READ ALL INFORMATION BEFORE PROCEEDING.

July 11-19, 2026
(May possible leave July 12, TBD)

Open to youth currently in grades 6-12 

(young adults age 18-19 in July 2026 can go too! Talk to Suzanne)
** While middle school students are invited to attend, parents need to determine if they are mature enough to handle a trip this long and far away from home. Students will be staying in dorm rooms on a college campus with NO ADULT in the room.

Cost-
$1500/youth OR $425/Youth if involved In Events and fundraising

Registration And Non-Ref. deposit of $150 due October 26

BREAKDOWN of COSTS PER PERSON:
$600 per person REGISTRATION
$100 PER PERSON 2 ADDTL NIGHTS at Campus
$100 PER PERSON 2 HOTEL NIGHTS Travel
$100 PER PERSON RAFT/KAYAK
$100 Per Person OTHER Activity
$40 Per Person T-shirts
$285 Per Person Travel Days and Other Meals
$200 Per Person Transportation/GAS

Schedule of Payments-
You have 2 options, at each benchmark that money becomes non-refundable.

How is “INVOLVED” DEFINED?

50% COMBINED attendance rate minimum on Sundays at Sunday School and Wednesdays for CTR-U (September 2025-July 2026)

Active In Worship, Church Life and retreats

Participates in at least 2 of 3 major fundraisers: Chili Cookoff, Easter Breakfast and Other TBD Big youth fundraiser possibly Trivia Night.

INVOLVED OPTION:

Registration And N-RF deposit of $150 due October 26

N-RF Payment #2 of $150 due January 21

Final N-RF payment of $125 due April 22

Church Offerings & fundraisers cover the remainder

FULL PRICE OPTION:

Registration And N-RF deposit of $150 due October 26

N-RF Payment #2 of $675 due January 21

N-RF Final payment of $675 due April 22 

Why are we doing pricing like this?

Historically, families have shared roughly a third of the cost of trips, while the youth budget from offerings handles a third and fundraisers handle a third. If the church budget (offerings) and fundraisers are paying for 2/3 of the trip per student, we ask that each student give back by being active in the church and actively participating in fundraisers. If you would like to speak to Suzanne about this directly, please call or set up a time during office hours Monday-Thursday to chat. Otherwise, you can choose to attend but pay the full price yourself.

Is there Financial Aid?
Yes, for families choosing the Involved Option there is some financial aid available; however, it will require the student to do service hours toward Christ the Redeemer in some way.

 
Higher Things® offers an incredible, multi-day experience to registrants who attend one of the many events each summer. These conferences are held on college or university campuses around the country, giving registrants a taste and feel for what going off to school will be like. Students stay in dorm rooms and eat in the  cafeteria.
Since 2000 Higher Things has hosted between one and five Lutheran youth conferences each summer! Conferences in any given summer are planned around the same basic structure, but each has its own distinctive “personality” and dynamics, making each a singular, unique experience.

We do all this because we are convinced that youth need solid teaching and experiences that will nurture lasting Christian faith. By teaching them the same message that they are already hearing at home and at church, youth grow in the fullness of the Christian faith as they come to appreciate historic liturgical practice and its unique focus on God’s gifts of forgiveness, life, and salvation for us delivered in Word and Sacrament.

Who may attend? Higher Things conferences are intended for high school-aged youth and their adult leaders. Our teaching is geared toward those already confirmed, but we gladly welcome middle school aged youth and college aged adults at our conferences. Higher Things does not permit adults to attend on their own without accompanying youth. Refer to our Events Policies for further details.
May I bring a non-Lutheran friend? Yes! We love when there are non-Lutheran attendees to the Higher Things conferences! We ask that these attendees be properly instructed regarding their exclusion from receiving the Sacrament of the Altar.
What if I have special needs? Higher Things works to best accommodate individuals with disabilities as needed. Additional fees may need to be assessed for equipment rental, interpretive staff, on-campus transportation assistance, parking, etc. We also provide a sensory-friendly room at all conferences for attendees with various sensory needs, anxiety, or those in need of a quiet place to rest and regroup.
What does the registration fee include?
Your registration fee covers:
● Conference programming 
● Planning and preparations
● Teaching (4 plenary sessions; 5 breakaway sessions; panel; fireside chats) ● Worship (2 Divine Services, 10 Prayer Offices)
● Entertainment activities
● Three nights of on-campus housing, typically including linens
● Nine meals (Tuesday dinner through Friday lunch)
● Printed conference handbook
● Printed worship booklet
● Conference T-shirt 

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE & CONFERENCE SCHEDULE

SATURDAY, July 11 OR LEAVE SUNDAY and Drive whole way in 1 day
8:30AM Meet at church to load
4:30PM (ish) Arrive in HAYS, KS

SUNDAY, JULY 12
8:30AM Worship at Messiah Lutheran CHURCH
10:00AM Depart HAYS, KS
4:30PM (ISH) ARRIVE IN LONGMONT, CO

Monday, July 13
rafting/KAYAKING and more!

Tuesday, July 14
9:00am SIGHTSEEING and lunch

When should we plan to arrive and depart? The opening Divine Service begins at 2:00 pm on Tuesday of the conference week (registration check-in will run from 9:00 am to 1:30 pm), and the conference will finish around lunch on Friday.  Groups may also stay on campus for one extra night before and/or after the conference for an additional fee of $50 per person per night (additional meals not included). Check-in on the day before the conference will be between 5:00 and 10:00 pm, and those staying an extra day after the conference should plan to check out by 10:00 am the day after the conference closes. 
9am-1:30pm- Registration
2PM-11:30PM HT CONFERENCE Begins/ Programming
12AM Lights out

Wednesday, July 15
7am - 11:30pm HT Programming
12Am Lights out

Thursday, July 16
7am - 11:30pm HT Programming
12Am Lights out

Friday, July 17
7am - 1pm HT Programming/ CONFERENCE ENDS
afternoon activity

Saturday, July 18
8:30am Leave CO and head to Hays, KS
4:40PM (ISH) arrive in Hays, KS

Sunday, July 19
8:30am Leave Hays, KS and HEAD to TULSA
4:30PM (ISH) arrive in TULSA


CONFERENCE SCHEDULE
Day 1
1:00 pm  Leaders’ Meeting
2:00 pm  Opening Divine Service
4:00 pm Plenary Session 1
5:00 pm  Dinner
7:00 pm  Breakaway Session A
8:00 pm Evening Prayer
8:30 pm  Private Confession
8:30 pm  Free Time/Entertainment
11:00 pm Compline
12:00 am Lights Out 

Day 2
7:00 am  Breakfast 
9:00 am  Matins
10:00 am Plenary Session 2
11:00 am Lunch
11:15 am Leaders’ Meeting
1:00 pm  Vespers
1:45 pm  Free Time
2:45 pm  Panel
4:00 pm Breakaway Session B
5:00 pm  Dinner
7:00 pm  Breakaway Session C
8:00 pm Evening Prayer
8:30 pm  Private Confession
8:30 pm  Free Time/Entertainment
11:00 pm Compline
12:00 am Lights Out     

Day 3
7:00 am  Breakfast
9:00 am  Matins
10:00 am Plenary Session 3
11:00 am Lunch
11:15 am Leaders’ Meeting
1:00 pm  Vespers
2:00 pm  Breakaway Session D
2:45 pm  Free Time // TY Reception
4:00 pm Breakaway Session E
5:00 pm  Dinner
7:00 pm  Evening Prayer
7:30 pm  Private Confession
8:00 pm Free Time/Entertainment
11:00 pm Compline
12:00 am Lights Out 

Day 4
7:00 am  Breakfast
8:00 am  Choir Rehearsal
9:00 am  Plenary Session 4
10:30 am Closing Divine Service
12:00 pm Lunch   


Housing Information
What kind of housing can we expect? 
Since Higher Things conferences are held on college campuses, all registrants will stay in residence halls. Sometimes this means a suite of two double-capacity rooms with a shared bathroom between the rooms. Or some residence halls will have standard double rooms with common (single-sex) lavatories with private toilets and shower stalls. Not all residence halls on campuses have air conditioning. If you are assigned to buildings without air conditioning, we will do our best to notify you in advance so you may bring small fans. You can follow up with us close to the conference date to check on your group’s dorm air conditioning status.
Male and female rooms will be separated by floor, wing, or building. We will do our best to assign group members’ rooms near one another. Adults will not be housed in the same room as a youth unless there is a direct familial relationship AND both adults and youth are of the same sex. 

How many people will be assigned per room? 
Groups should plan for two occupants per room. You may request roommates from within your own group. Private rooms are available by request for an additional fee of $50 per room per night ($150 total for three nights). If your group does not fully occupy the available rooms or suites, roommates and/or suite-mates (of the same sex and age category) may be assigned from another group.