SDC, CDC hold fall youth conferences

Annual youth conferences brought more than 440 youth together for worship, fun and service

0
495
Students were involved in a variety of service projects in greater Omaha, Nebraska, as part of the CDC Fall Youth Conference. Some students raked leaves. Photo: CDC

Fall high school youth conferences in the Southern and Central Districts drew more than 440 students, youth workers, staff and guests .  Both conferences were held the third weekend in November.

SDYC hosted by Tabor College, Hillsboro churches

More than 300 students from 17 churches as well as adult leaders, program team members, support staff and partners gathered for the Southern District Youth Conference (SDYC).  The event, held Nov. 18-20, at Tabor College in Hillsboro, Kansas, included sessions, workshops, free time, worship and late night activities. The three MB churches in Hillsboro provided host homes and organized activities.

Speaker Dustin Galyon, Hesston (Kansas) MB Church, addressed the theme of “Be____. The registration packet explains the theme: “Our culture is obsessed with achievement. We’re quick to celebrate success, productivity, records being broken and goals being met. What if the Christian’s measure of success has less to do with doing, and more to do with being? Our hope as followers of Christ is to be more like Jesus.”

Presence Worship led music.

Free time and late night options included bowling, disc golf, yard games, football games and movies, dodgeball, volleyball, nine square, trivia, Bingo, karaoke, video games, board games and a photo booth.

Participants affirmed Michael Klaassen, Hillsboro, to serve a three-year term on the Youth Commission.

CDC Fall Youth Conference includes service projects, refugee simulation

More than 140 students, youth workers and guests representing 10 Central District Conference churches and one guest church attended the district’s Fall Youth Conference at Camp Rivercrest in Fremont, Nebraska, Nov. 17-20.

The event included five sessions, games and worship. Based on Nahum 1:7, the theme highlighted the Lord’s goodness, stronghold in trouble and knowledge of those who trust in him. The speaker was Randy Washington, program director for Minneapolis, Minn.-based FreedomWorks, which provides a pathway to independent living for formerly incarcerated men.

Friday, youth completed service projects, helping at the Together, Inc. food pantry in Omaha, doing ReStore projects for Habitat for Humanity in Fremont and Omaha, painting the Faith Bible Church basement and doing yard work around Omaha.

A “refugee simulation” game allowed students to join family groups to complete tasks to earn points to buy food and obtain passports.

“While the game was fun, it also had an eye-opening effect on the youth,” says Abby Hoehne, member of the youth committee board and NextGen pastor at Renewal MB Church in Rapid City, South Dakota.

The For His Glory team from Tabor College in Hillsboro, Kansas, led music.

“It kind of blows my mind that I get the opportunity to worship Jesus with the youth of this generation,” Hoehne says. “At the conference we’d be singing our hearts out one moment and the next we’d be wrestling over a styrofoam cup. It’s always so much fun getting to interact with the youth and leaders from different backgrounds and to be able to hear a little bit of their story, but this year the fall conference was something special.”

The event, previously called Central District Youth Conference, will now be called Fall Youth Conference.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here