Mere Christians
A C.S. Lewis Conference
Gladly sponsored by The C.S. Lewis Foundation and The C. S.Lewis Institute, Orlando
April 24-25, 2026
Church of the Messiah
241 N. Main St.
Winter Garden, FL 34787
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About the Event
2026: On Stories
- Nationally-known keynote speakers
- Concurrent Children’s Track for reading-aged kids
- Meals included, with an English Tea and a Narnian Banquet
- Academic breakouts
- Bookstore including rare Lewis editions
- Pricing, registration, and scholarship info here.
Featured Speakers
- The Rev.d Dr. Andrew Lazo
- Dr. Christin Ditchfield Lazo
- Dr. K. Alan Snyder
- Singer-Songwriter Matthew Clark
- Singer-Songwriter Matt Wheeler
- Singer and Harpist Hannah Flowers
- BanderTrack (Academic Track) Co-Directors: Michael Oppizzi and Annie Nardone
Check out our Facebook Event Page!
Schedule
Event Agenda
Friday, April 24th
2:00 pm – 6:00 pm – Registration
3:00 pm – 4:30 pm – Early Arrival Sessions: C.S. Lewis 101 (Sanctuary) w/ Fr. Andrew Lazo
5:00 pm – 6:00 pm – Friday Pasta Supper (Parish Hall)
6:15 pm – 7:30 pm – Plenary Session I (Sanctuary)
Saturday, April 25th
8:15 am – 8:45 am – Morning Prayer (Optional, Sanctuary)
9:00 am – 9:55 am – Plenary Session II (Sanctuary)
10:00 am – 11:15 am – Breakout 1 (Various)
11:15 am – 11:30 am – Break
11:30 am – 12:15 pm – Plenary Session III (Sanctuary)
12:15 pm – 1:00 pm – Lunch (Parish Hall)
1:00 pm – 2:15 pm – Breakout 2 (Various)
2:15 pm – 2:30 pm – Break
2:30 pm – 3:15 pm – Panel Discussion / Q&A (Parish Hall)
3:00 pm – 4:00 pm – Afternoon CreamTea (Parish Hall)
4:00 pm – 5:15 pm – Breakout 3 (Various)
5:20 pm – 6:00 pm – Concert (Sanctuary)
6:00 pm – 7:15 pm – Banquet (Parish Hall)
Call for Papers
The Mere Christians C. S. Lewis Conference gladly presents a Call For Papers for the upcoming gathering in Winter Garden, FL. The main conference’s orienting theme, “On Stories,” will guide us into the heart of Lewis’s life and work, with keynote talks on The Magician’s Nephew, The Ransom Trilogy, Lewis’s theoretical framework for narrative, as well as Tolkien’s seminal essay, “On Fairy-Stories.”
This year in the BanderTrack, the academic portion of our conference, our goal is not necessarily to illuminate the conference’s central theme but rather to workshop a variety of projects on their way to publication (books, papers, chapters, etc.). We encourage a wide variety of paper topics (click here for more info.)
Abstracts will undergo a double-blind process to determine acceptance status. Please submit anonymous abstracts of 250-500 words, including a statement that you have not used AI in the creation of your abstract or paper by March 31.
Complete information and instructions can be downloaded here.
LODGING
Hotels
FAQS
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I attend?
Click here to register to attend!
How do I sign up to present or lead a session?
Have something to say about C. S. Lewis? Submit a 300-word proposal to Rev’d Andrew.
Where is the conference?
Church of the Messiah, 241 N Main Street,Winter Garden, FL 34787.
When is the conference?
Friday, April 24th, beginning at 2 pm and Saturday, April 25th, ending at 7 pm.
Are meals included?
YES! Friday Dinner, Saturday Lunch, Saturday Tea, Saturday Narnian Banquet (Saturday Breakfast on your own).
Is there a Children’s Track?
YES — reading age children ages 7 – 12. There are children’s tickets available as an option through our Eventbrite registration.
Are Scholarships available?
Yes! Contact Rev’d Andrew if you know someone who wants to come but needs some help.
What if I arrive early? Will there be anything for me to do?
YES! Interactive Early-Arrival Sessions: C. S. Lewis 101: Life & C. S. Lewis 101: Works. Not a Lewis expert? You’ll fit right in. Come and get your questions answered! Contact Rev’d Andrew for information.