✦ The Gathering — Ops Plan
Working Backward from September 17
Every dependency dated. Every decision surfaced. Every King’s readiness mapped. Glanceable, not a novel.
The Clock
CRITICAL — D11/D12: The Gathering (org) runs their annual conference Sep 17–20 at Park Hyatt Aviara, Carlsbad, CA. Carter’s concept describes a SEPARATE private event on the same dates. Carter must clarify: own event, attending theirs, or intentional piggyback?
Backward Calendar
Phase 0: Foundations (Now → Jun 30)
| Date | Dependency | Gate |
|---|
| Jun 12–15 | Carter reviews ops plan + venue decision | BLOCKER |
| Jun 12–15 | Carter fires first invitations (personal calls) | BLOCKER |
| Jun 16–20 | Venue scouted + contracted | Venue decided |
| Jun 20–25 | Circle weekly rhythm soft-launched | 1+ King said yes |
| Jun 25–30 | Invitation letter designed (Brand Bible compliant) | Design ready |
| Jun 30 | GATE: Venue + 3 confirmed Kings or plan pauses | HARD GATE |
Phase 1: Invitations (Jul 1–31)
| Date | Dependency | Gate |
|---|
| Jul 1–7 | Carter personally calls each of the 12 Kings | Calling pages sealed |
| Jul 7–14 | Physical invitations mailed (hand-signed) | All 12 out |
| Jul 14–21 | Follow-up calls (Carter, not staff) | — |
| Jul 31 | GATE: RSVP deadline. Headcount locked. | HARD GATE |
Phase 2: Materials (Jul 1 – Aug 31)
| Date | Dependency | Gate |
|---|
| Jul 1–15 | All 12 calling pages FINAL + print-ready | Carter-approved |
| Jul 15–31 | Printed packages produced (bound pages, creed cards, wall chart) | — |
| Aug 1–15 | Genesis demo hardened for live-room use | Zero-latency test |
| Aug 15–31 | All materials arrive + AV tested at venue | — |
| Aug 31 | GATE: Materials packed. Demo tested 10x. | HARD GATE |
Phase 3: Logistics (Aug 1 – Sep 14)
| Date | Dependency | Gate |
|---|
| Aug 1–15 | Accommodation + private chef contracted | — |
| Aug 15–31 | Security + ground transport mapped | — |
| Sep 1–7 | Itineraries sent (personal schedule card per King) | All RSVPs in |
| Sep 7–14 | Dry run at venue (table set, tech tested, flow walked) | — |
| Sep 14 | GATE: Staged. Carter arrives. Silent day. | GO |
The Decision List
| # | Decision | Default | Deadline |
|---|
| D1 | Venue type (estate / retreat / resort) | Private estate — Kings come to Carter | Jun 15 |
| D2 | Venue specific + budget ceiling | Scout 3; present by Jun 14 | Jun 18 |
| D3 | First 3 Kings to call | Kaestner → Green → Dunn | Jun 13 |
| D4 | Circle soft-launch before all 12 confirmed? | Yes — start with whoever’s in | Jun 20 |
| D5 | Physical vs. digital invitation | Physical, hand-signed, mailed | Jun 25 |
| D6 | Spouses or solo? | Solo first Gathering | Jul 1 |
| D7 | Staff in the room | Carter + 1 ops (invisible) | Jul 1 |
| D8 | Budget envelope | $50K–$150K range | Jun 18 |
| D9 | Recording policy | Zero recording. Trust is the asset. | Jul 1 |
| D10 | Anyone beyond the 12? | 12 only for first event | Jul 15 |
| D11 | Own event or attending The Gathering (org)? | Own event | Jun 15 CRITICAL |
| D12 | Date collision with The Gathering (org) | Clarify immediately | Jun 12 CRITICAL |
The Invitee Matrix
| # | King | Organ | Page Sealed? | Warm Path? | Ready? |
|---|
| 1 | Henry Kaestner | Nervous System | ⚠ | Praxis (90d clock) | PENDING |
| 2 | David Green | Heart | ⚠ | Via Kaestner | PENDING |
| 3 | Tim Dunn | Backbone | ⚠ | TPPF | PENDING |
| 4 | Farris Wilks | Backbone | ⚠ | Blocked (Dunn first) | NOT READY |
| 5 | Dan Wilks | Backbone | ⚠ | Blocked (Dunn first) | NOT READY |
| 6 | Palmer Luckey | Shield | Needs build | Trae Stephens | NOT IN DB |
| 7 | Peter Thiel | Eyes | Needs build | Stephens ‖ Luttig | NOT READY |
| 8 | Elon Musk | Mind | Needs build | Primary blocked | NOT READY |
| 9 | Franklin Graham | Voice | ⚠ | Jack Graham | HOLD |
| 10 | Patrick Bet-David | Lungs | ✓ Live | Schneider (hold) | HOLD |
| 11 | Hugh Maclellan | Faith Capital | ⚠ | Institutional | PENDING |
| 12 | [SEAT OPEN] | TBD | — | — | Carter decides |
Bottom line: Zero Kings are confirmed today. The covenant ring (Kaestner → Green → Dunn) must unlock first. Most calling pages need a seal-verification pass. The warm paths exist but none have fired. Carter’s personal calls are the single irreplaceable action — nothing moves without them.
The Four Movements (Sep 17–20)
| Day | Movement | Heart |
|---|
| Wed Sep 17 PM | The Door Opens | Arrival dinner. Round table. Carter reads the creed. |
| Thu Sep 18 | The Mirror | Each King “in the chair” — seen and named by peers. |
| Fri Sep 19 | The Body | Genesis revealed live. 12 organs named. Demo runs on their data. |
| Sat Sep 20 AM | The Blessing | John 10:27. Commissioning. Signed body chart. Departure. |