Yes, Your Majesty was the theme of the 38th National Youth Conference held in Louisville, KY. More than 3,600 students attended the convention that kicked off as Gowdy Cannon from Chicago, IL, taught Sunday School. The morning service featured worship leader Donald Myers, from Taylor, MI, and speaker, Mitchell Cooper, Christian professional from China.
On Sunday night, students in the Truth and Peace Leadership Conference provided special music before Brian Tippett challenged students to "finish the race" with God. Monday found Bible competition and the Music and Arts Festival in full swing. More than 1,697 registrants and 806 competitors took part in the three-day competition. The evening service featured veteran youth worker and pastor, Curt Gwartney.
On Tuesday, Bible competition entered the semifinal round while instrumental, vocal ensemble, choirs, and chorales packed music and arts competition rooms and visitors to the art gallery viewed 139 entries.
Tuesday evening marked one of the most memorable services in the history of the National Youth Conference. Mrs. Lorene Miley spoke in the place of her husband, Dr. LaVerne Miley, who died earlier this year. She spoke from the outline her husband penned in the days just preceding his death. According to Megan Brown of Fort Wayne, IN, “She told his life story and how their ears were always open to God’s will. No matter how it interfered with their own plans, they were always in tune with what He wanted for their lives.” The altars flooded as young men and women said “yes” to God. Mrs. Miley closed the service with her husband’s favorite quote, “Only one life, ‘twill soon be past; only what’s done for Christ will last.”
On Wednesday, final Bible competition came to a close, and following the combined Wednesday evening service, the 2005 NYC awards were presented. Visit www.randallhouse.com for a complete list of winners.
Thirteen-year-old Crystal Hodges, from Clovis, CA, was awarded FWB Youth of the Year for her international pen pal ministry and digital projects for International Missions.
Other highlights of the four-day conference included 20 seminars and workshops, activities for children, a teen banquet, and a dinner for families featuring Christian entertainer, The Amazing Mark Lippard.
For the third straight year, more than 1,000 students participated in Reach That Guy, the annual outreach effort in the host city. According to The Salvation Army of Louisville, volunteers donated more than 3,900 hours of labor, saving them more than $100,000 dollars in labor costs. One organization said, “These are the hardest workers we have ever had!”
Preschool worship services for children ages 3-5 met each day under the direction of Katie Greenwood, while children in grades 1-6 enjoyed fast-paced, exciting worship services led by Johnny and Gail Miller and Ned and Joan Way.
Once again, the 81 members of Truth and Peace Student Leadership Conference provided the staffing (and energy) that it takes to run a conference like NYC. Endless responsibilities left them exhausted but excited. One participant described it as, “Crazy, busy, life-changing, frustrating, and rewarding—all wrapped up in one great conference.”
If you would like to apply for Truth and Peace 2006, call Student and Children’s Ministries at (800) 877-7030.
Make plans to attend NYC 2006 in Birmingham, AL, July 16-19. The convention theme will be ONE LIFE, based on Ecclesiastes 12:13.
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diary of a youth conference
by Crystal Hodges, FWB Youth of the Year (pictured here with Eric Thomsen, managing editor of ONE Magazine)
Sunday, July 17, 2005 FINALLY!! The first day of the National Youth Conference has arrived!! For weeks I have been driving my mom crazy by keeping a daily countdown. I am so excited to be eating breakfast in my sister’s apartment in Nashville and to be able to say to my family, “Guess what?! Today is finally the day!”
The Sunday night service was breathtaking!! It was just amazing to see so many teens in one room worshiping God. It gave me goose bumps. Brian Tippett did a wonderful job speaking. He talked about the fact that you’re not only supposed to start the race with God, you’re supposed to finish it too.
Monday, July 18, 2005 On Monday, I went with my family to watch some of the competitions. Everyone I saw compete did a great job! After that, I went to the Missions Rally, which I really enjoyed. It was wonderful to see so many missionaries in one room, and I knew a lot of them. I thought the best part of the Rally was when people gathered around the missionaries to pray for them.
The Monday night adult service was very special to me and to my family. The speaker was Millard Sasser, and he is my grandpa. My family and I are all very proud of him, and we were all very excited that he was able to speak.
Tuesday, July 19, 2005 Tuesday was not so busy for me. I was able to help at the International Missions and Hanna Project booths, filled out the blue paper for the drawing, and saw a ton of people I know.
Just like the Monday night service, the Tuesday night service was also special—but for a lot more people then just my family. Dr. LaVerne Miley was supposed to speak to the teens that night, but as most of us know, he went to be with the Lord in March. So, his wife Lorene took his place.
Clint and Lynette Morgan told me that she was feeling a bit nervous, but even though she was nervous, Mrs. Miley did a great job speaking to us! I really loved that service. It was one of the best services I can remember. It brought tears to my eyes, just like it did to many others.
That night, Steve Greenwood, the National Youth Conference Coordinator, gave all of us teens a goal. He challenged us to save one dollar a week for a year, to be collected at next year’s convention. They hope to collect $1 million dollars for missions. I think this is a great goal and I plan on doing it and encouraging my church to help also.
Wednesday, July 20, 2005 Wednesday was a busy day for me. I was sad NYC had come to its last day. I did a lot of running around—talking to my missionary pen pals, making new pen pals, helping at the booths, and other things.
Even though I was sad to see the conference come to an end, I was excited about the Wednesday night service because that is the night that all the missionaries at the convention go up on stage to welcome and to pray for new missionaries.
After the service, I started to get a little anxious about the award ceremony. To my surprise, I won first place for my website and the video entry. And when they began talking about the FWB Youth of the Year, I definitely was not expecting them to talk about the missionary pen pal ministry I started two years ago. When they called me to come up to the stage to receive the award . . . I am still in shock! I want to say thanks to everyone who nominated me.
Thursday, July 21, 2005 Sadly enough, NYC is officially over. But that’s okay, because now I can start a countdown to next year’s conference in Alabama, which is only 361 days away!
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