More than 300 students and youth leaders from 15 churches met at Ridgepoint Church in Wichita, Kan., for the Southern District Youth Conference, Nov. 17-19.
Joanna Chapa served as speaker during the event’s four sessions, where the theme was, Rhythm.
“I considered it a privilege to be able to step into this theme and invite attendees to journey together through the rhythm we were created for, the rhythm that gets us out of sync, the rhythm that Jesus invites us to, and the rhythm that transforms the world around us,” Chapa says in a recap email from Multiply. “Jesus came to give us hope in a new rhythm, a new way of being human, that is actually the restoration of the ‘good rhythm’ we were created to live with and from: to love God and love others. That rhythm was given to us for the benefit, the blessing and the transformation of the world around us.
“My hope is that students and all those attending were encouraged to follow Jesus closer so that they can live into the ‘rhythm of the Spirit’ they were created for.”
The event included two workshops, youth group breakouts and late-night activities and free time activities, including volleyball, video games, board games, coffee, trivia, bowling, arcade games, dodgeball and karaoke.
Presence Worship led attendees in singing.
An offering of $866.45 was collected for Multiply workers Kyle and Danae Schmidt.
Colton Olsen was affirmed for a second term on the Youth Commission.
“Youth conference was a ton of fun this year,” says director Jared Menard. “Our times of worship together were incredibly powerful in each session. Many students recalibrated their hearts and minds back into the rhythms of King Jesus. We are very grateful for Ridgepoint for allowing us to use their beautiful facilities for the Kingdom.”
Janae Rempel Shafer is the Christian Leader associate editor. She joined the CL staff in September 2017 with six years of experience as a professional journalist. Shafer is an award-winning writer, having received three 2016 Kansas Press Association Awards of Excellence and an Evangelical Press Association Higher Goals award in 2022. Shafer graduated from Tabor College in 2010 with a bachelor of arts in Communications/Journalism and Biblical/Religious Studies. She and her husband, Austin, attend Ridgepoint Church in Wichita, Kansas.
