Deja vo came flying into my life this past weekend. I was privileged to be the speaker for the third Spiritual Life Retreat of 2014. It was a great weekend filed with over 320 student and tons of adults chaperons and the CCYM Team. Also present was a great band by the name of Greater Lights (let me tell you my hearing is gone!) These people know how to worship the Lord.
The deja vo come in because it was over 30 years ago that I was one of the young adults on the CCYM helping plan the SLR events. I felt like time had simply shifted and I was back at Glisson as a 20 something in the midst of students not much younger than me (until I tried to run up the falls with them). I remembered while I watched the CCYM Team do their magic that we didn't give the team back then so much responsibility. We, adults (LOL yea by age only) kept tight reins on the planning and implementing of the weekend. It wasn't that we didn't trust the students it was that ... we didn't have faith in them, plus it was worlds of fun to plan and work the weekends.
I'm so proud of Sam Halverson and his leaders for entrusting our students to take the 3 SLR weekends and run with them (they also helped with 2 Confirmation weekends). This students showed great leadership and total responsibility. Sam and our conference are really empowering leaders for today. We have lots to be proud of as these young people can serve the church, not tomorrow, but today!
On Sunday, after the band went home Saturday night, these same youth lead the entire worship experience and set me up to preach. WOW! I wish I has such preparation every Sunday!! Not only are they leaders in administration and counseling they lead worship in a awesome and powerful way.
You can see I'm proud of our them and I'm excited about our future as United Methodist Church. North Georgia should be proud and hopeful.
Oh to be young again!
Dana
If you want to know more about the Conference Youth Ministry, or about Summer Camp, or about ELI, or about Great Lights coming to your church please contact Sam Halverson at sam.halverson@ngumc.net or call him at 678.533.1445