National Youth Conference Colorado State University Fort Collins, Colo. July 22-27, 2006
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"A-Mack" (Brethren founder Alexander Mack) appeared at NYC. Photo by Sarah Kovacs

‘WORD’
“...I by my works will show you my faith.” – James 2:18b

QUOTES OF THE DAY
“NYC 2006, we came and we saw!” – Youth skit to open morning worship

“Jesus will give you power to change this world. With the world in the balance, he is calling you.... I want to tell you Jesus believes in you. Enough to put his mission and his world in your hands.” – David Radcliff, director of the New Community Project, a Brethren nonprofit, speaking for closing worship

“I am ready to change the world!” – Deborah, a youth from Washington State, giving her testimony during worship

QUESTION OF THE DAY: 'What now?'

Kyle Ohio "A new life"	Nathan Indiana "Moving on with God's work"	Ashley Pennsylvania "Leave for home, with many memories"
Janelle California "Senior High Camp next week with the Peace Team"	Jeff California "Continue socializing about God with other people"	Justin Ohio "Sharing everything I learned with people at home"

--Reported by youth interview team from Pacific Southwest District: Cambria Teter, reporter, and Elizabeth Bache, photographer

Closing worship was a celebration and a time of sadness at leaving NYC. Photo by Chris Detrick

District representatives carried their oil lamps home. Photo by Chris Detrick

The flags of the districts were displayed in front of the stage before being carried in procession from the arena. Photos by Chris Detrick

Photo by Chris Detrick

Worship allowed for time to share with friends before leaving for home. Photo by Chris Detrick

David Radcliff, director of the New Community Project, spoke for closing worship. Photo by Chris Detrick

WOW! TOGETHER WE CAN END HUNGER
Hunger is a big word, seemingly larger than all our efforts to combat it. But the $87,078.96 raised in various ways by NYC participants to turn hunger around is huge–exceeding even the wildest expectations of the NYC coordinators.

REGNUH is all about turning hunger around. NYC 2006 has demonstrated in a very real way that youth are intentional about the church’s work to end hunger and poverty. Responding to the them, “Come and See,” more than 1,100 people good part in the REGNUH 5K Walk/Run, raising $87,078.96 for the Global Food Crisis Fund.... and counting. Organizers expect more donations and sponsorships to be received as some of those who walked or ran the course take sponsor forms home with them.

The total includes $25,199.41 in REGNUH sponsorships, and $61,879.55 received in an offering and tithes of youth group registration fees from more than 30 congregations across the country. “God works in our midst in ways we could not have imagined,” said Chris Douglas, director of youth and young adult ministry for the General Board.

“WOW!” said Howard Royer, manager of the Global Food Crisis Fund for the Church of the Brethren General Board. “What signals NYC has sent to the church and the world! The first is to offer what Brethren and the Bible have championed–that God calls us to be with the poor and the hungry. The second is that no longer are the most vulnerable to the most expendable; together we can put an end to extreme hunger.”

–Eddie Edmonds and Frank Ramirez contributed to this report

WORSHIP SENDS YOUTH OUT TO CHANGE THE WORLD
The closing worship celebration this morning opened with testimonies from several youth about how NYC has changed them, through the experience of a service project, worship, and new relationships built during the conference. “Thousands of strangers have truly become the body of Christ,” said Caitlin, a youth from Arizona.

The NYC choir performed “What a Beautiful City, Hallelujah,” directed by Shawn Kirchner.

“You’ve got the world in your hands,” David Radcliff said in a sermon that sent the youth home with new hope and energy to follow Jesus in transforming the world. Telling stories of his work for peace and the environment around the world, Radcliff, who directs the Brethren-related New Community Project, also told stories of youth who have changed the world through their actions, big and small.

He gave some final challenges, but also told NYC that Brethren youth are up to the challenges of the 21st century. “Global warming is the challenge of the century,” he said. The earth doesn’t have a chance against humanity anymore, he added.

He also warned that young people are “ground zero” in today’s society, the target of advertising and corporations that need their dollars and purchasing power.

But, “you can do this,” he said. “You don’t go that cheap, do you?”

He encouraged youth to “do a little misbehaving” in the spirit of Christ when they get home. The authorities of this world “are not the boss of you,” he said. “Jesus is the boss of you.... Since when did the followers of Jesus stop bucking the system?” he asked.

“Why do you think Jesus chose young people to follow him?” Radcliff asked the group. “What power do you have?” He reviewed the purchasing power of young people in the US, who spend about $2 billion on themselves every week, he said. He urged Brethren youth to think about “the power that you have to bring justice” through their purchasing power and through their actions toward each other, the rest of the world, and the environment. He gave the example of a youth woman who visited a Mayan village in Latin America, and came home with the decision to give away the money she had saved to buy new school clothes.

He likened his message to an NYC “homework assignment.” It’s an open-book assignment, he added. “You can keep the book open to Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John,” he said. “It’s a little pressure, but you are up to it. We have seen you do it this week.”

“Jesus will give you power to change this world,” Radcliff said. “With the world in the balance, he is calling you.... I want to tell you Jesus believes in you. Enough to put his mission and his world in your hands.”

District representatives carried their banners out of the arena in a closing ceremony. Photos by Chris Detrick

NYC NUGGETS
The NYC crowd began leaving for home early this morning–and some even late last night. Buses and airport vans were in and out of the parking lot at Moby Arena, picking up district and congregational youth groups to begin their long or short journeys home today.

The closing worship service included many thank yous and gifts of appreciation to the NYC coordinators, the youth cabinet, Chris Douglas as director of youth and young adult ministry for the General Board, the sound and light technicians, the videographers, and others who have made the conference possible.

Many volunteers are continuing to do clean up and packing up for several more hours this afternoon, before NYC can be considered officially complete.... until the next National Youth Conference four years from now in 2010!

Photo by Chris Detrick