National Youth Conference Colorado State University Fort Collins, Colo. July 22-27, 2006
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Youth joined in prayer during worship. Photo by Chris Detrick

Photos by Chris Detrick

‘WORD’
"Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed....” -- Romans 12:2a

QUOTES OF THE DAY
"I choose Jesus.” – Contestant in the game show, “Jesus or No Jesus?” in a drama during evening worship

“The disciples had no idea what they were getting into, and sometimes that’s the way God works.” – Jamie, a youth speaker for the Monday morning worship service

“Believe it or not, every Christian on earth has the same mission...to invite others to come and see Jesus.” – Allen, a youth speaker on Monday morning

“Has this super size lifestyle brought us any closer to happiness?” – Chrissy, a youth speaker for Monday morning worship

“The world is waiting for you to take your faith seriously.” – Jim Wallis, a founder of the Sojourners community in Washington, D.C., and a national evangelical leader for social change, preaching Monday evening

“You being yourself matters. It’s what keeps the community from being lost.” – Glenn Mitchell, in the centering moments at the beginning of Monday evening worship

QUESTION OF THE DAY: ‘Who are you following?’

Agata Illinois "Mentors"	Jake Pennsylvania "Well, hopefully Jesus"	Kendra Illinois "Jesus"	Nathan Virginia "Whoever is in front of me"	Sharon Virginia "Dave McFadden"

--Reported by youth interview team of Grant Miner, photographer, and Daniel Myers-Bowman, reporter

Jamie

Allen

Chrissy

YOUTH SPEAK FOR MONDAY MORNING WORSHIP

Three Church of the Brethren youth--Jamie from Kansas, Allen from Virginia, and Chrissy from Pennsylvania--were the featured speakers for this morning’s worship celebration.

The three youth gave different perspectives on what following Jesus really means. Jamie concentrated on the surprising nature of God’s call to his disciples. Allen focused on the call to evangelize, which is shared by all Christians. Chrissy asked the youth to think ahead about how their discipleship will be lived out. “Ask yourself from time to time,” she said, “where am I hearing the call to come and see?”

A canned food drive that was held for the morning offering received 2,522 pounds of food for the Food Bank for Larimer County in Fort Collins, Colo. Many NYCers had packed food for the offering into their luggage, and brought it across country.

Jim Wallis spoke for the evening service. Photo by Chris Detrick

Ken Medema created songs in response to Wallis' message. Photo by Chris Detrick

A REGNUH Walk II was created spontaneously by a group from Mid-Atlantic and Southern Pennsylvania Districts. Photo by Becky Ullom

Canned food piled up in front of the stage during the offering. Photo by Sarah Kovacs

NYC WELCOMES JIM WALLIS FOR MONDAY EVENING WORSHIP
Jim Wallis, a national evangelical leader for social change and a founder of the Sojourners community in Washington, D.C., preached Monday on the question, “Who are you following?”

“I want to call you tonight to an important task,” Wallis told the crowd at evening worship. “You’ve got to clear up the confusion about what it means to be a Christian.” He told NYC that following Jesus means getting in the middle of the evil and suffering in the world, “because that’s where he (Jesus) stands, inviting us in.”

Giving many examples of ways the world needs to be transformed through Christ, Wallis said, “Jesus’ words can save us. His words can heal us.... The world is waiting for you to take your faith seriously.”

Ken Medema, who has been a popular performer at previous NYCs, sang a song in response to Wallis. The congregation was invited to join in the chorus: “We are the people we’ve been waiting for. The world is waiting so come through the door. There’s lots of room here on the dancing floor. There’s no delaying anymore.”

Earlier in the service, a drama of a mock game show called “Jesus or No Jesus” made it clear that following Christ has consequences. The applause grew louder and louder as the contestant, under pressure, kept choosing Jesus over fame, success, and wealth.

In the place of the usual type of church offering, a “reverse offering” of symbols of object symbolizing discipleship to Christ was received. Baskets were passed around, and youth could choose the symbol of Christ that spoke most to them in the moment: a mini flashlight, a rock engraved with a cross, a wooden cross necklace, a packet of salt, or a shiny round marble.

To close the service, Wallis started a wave that flowed up from the front of the stage to the very back of the auditorium, as people were invited to stand up and “look, see, feel the wave that could sweep this country.” He prayed, “Now Lord, you’re going to use a new generation... Be our God and we will be your people.”

NYC NUGGETS
After worship this evening, Jim Wallis held a talk-back session in Moby Arena. Ken Medema also gave a workshop.

In the Sunday evening offering, 1,329 Gift of the Heart School Kits were received. Since then, 28 more kits have been received to make a total of 1,357 kits collected and donated by NYC 2006. More than $6,300 was received to help pay for the shipping of the kits to children in need around the world.

The REGNUH 5K walk/run raised approximately $11,400 for hunger relief through the Global Food Crisis Fund, a ministry of the Church of the Brethren General Board.

In an update on the “REGNUH Losers Hair Dye” challenge, it is reported that the NYC coordinators and Chris Douglas raised $420 for the Global Food Crisis Fund. The youth cabinet won the challenge by raising roughly $3,600. (For photos of the hair dye, go to Sunday’s photo spread.)

A group of youth decided today to hold a REGNUH Part II. Group spokesperson Alex from Pennsylvania said, “The service last night kind of touched me, and I had to do something!” His friends reported that all day long he has been saying, “I’m on a God high!” The group of 13 youth and 2 advisors got together during free time and created their own walk of about 1 hour or approximately 2 miles. Along the way, they asked people to join the walk. If the person refused, they asked for a donation! REGNUH Part II raised $152 for the Global Food Crisis Fund.

NYC coordinator Beth Rhodes helped as the conference passed a food offering hand-to-hand to the front of the auditorium. Photo by Chris Detrick	A mock game show portrayed a contestant who had to choose between "Jesus or No Jesus." Photo by Chris Detrick
Jeff from Pennsylvania was one of those who engaged in conversation with Jim Wallis following the evening service. Photo by Chris Detrick	After the evening service other NYCers went to a workshop by Ken Medema, where the musician turned life stories into song. Photo by Sarah Kovacs