Wednesday at NYC – ‘Live’

Scripture theme

“The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field; it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches” (Matthew 13:31-32).

Quotable quotes

“Young persons who are members of a rebellious counter-cultural tradition that radically commits their life to living God’s Calvary-shaped love in the power of the Spirit to the glory of the Father.”
— A definition of “Dunker Punks” from this evening’s speaker Jarrod McKenna. “Dunker Punk” was McKenna’s term for Alexander Mack Sr. and the first eight whose “creative, courageous, compassionate fusion of Anabaptism and Radical Pietism” started the Brethren movement. Saying that many Brethren today–and many here at NYC–have lost knowledge of or maybe interest in the original “radical edge of the tradition” of the Brethren, McKenna called youth to return to it–noting that it starts with people gathering around the scripture and obeying Jesus’ commands.

“Rodriguez and Johnson and Chang are good Dunker Punk names too…. Dunker Punks are about how do you embody and relate to the tradition.”
— Jarrod McKenna calling the youth to reject the “Brethren name game” and stop equating belonging in the church with familial relationships.

“To be reconciled with God brings us into right alignment with God…and each other.”
— Leah J. Hileman preaching for the morning worship service. She is pastoring Lake View Christian Fellowship in Southern Pennsylvania District. She added, later in the message, “Paul moved from being a teacher of the Law to a minister of reconciliation.”

“There are a lot of views of Christ flying around and only one of them is true. He is not just a teacher. He is not just a rabbi. He is not just a good example. He is a living person. He is alive.”
— From Leah Hileman’s morning sermon.

“Hallelujah! Amen! On behalf of the youth of Nigeria, I greet you, and thank God for his love and protection of our lives…. We want to present this as a token of our love. As we face a myriad or problems this experience defined the challenge of our true Christian character. I would like to thank you for your support…for such a time as this.”
— Emmanuel Ibrahim, youth director for Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN, the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria), presenting a plaque to youth and young adult ministries director Becky Ullom-Naugle, to Church of the Brethren general secretary Stan Noffsinger, and to Annual Conference moderator David Steele.

“This is incredible!”
— Overheard from a youth looking at the vista in Rocky Mountain National Park.

“Who’s in?”

Following a minute of silent prayer, those two words led to an avalanche of youth coming forward, responding to Jarrod McKenna’s challenge. Having described how much the radical discipleship of the Brethren had inspired the intentional Christian community in Australia which McKenna is a part of, he explained the radical obedience to Jesus that comes from the Anabaptist and Radical Pietist strain of the Brethren tradition. He described the Brethren combination of the mystical and practical presence of Jesus in our midst, calling it a “Dunker punk” version of the “mustard seed conspiracy.” But, McKenna suggested, some Brethren have strayed far from that faith of radical discipleship. He asked for eight youth to respond. “Who’s up for radical revolution?” he asked. Many more than eight came forward. As one, around a thousand youth rose from their places on the floor and in the stands and streamed forward in a quiet, orderly, but determined fashion. McKenna invited the youth to put their arms around each other in mutual support for their newly expressed commitment.

NYC by the numbers

519: Updated total number of Hygiene Kits donated to Church World Service.

1,000+: Number of postcards that youth have signed in support of the Nigerian schoolgirls abducted from Chibok. The postcards are directed to Secretary of State John Kerry, and read: “I’m in Fort Collins, Colorado, with more than 2,000 youth from the Church of the Brethren, U.S., for our National Youth Conference. Our sisters from the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria could have been here too, but they were abducted from their school in Chibok. Please use your office to bring stability to Nigeria and stop the trafficking of women.”

The day’s schedule

Leah J. Hileman, who is pastoring Lake View Christian Fellowship in Southern Pennsylvania District, led the morning worship, with Jarrod McKenna making a return appearance at NYC as guest speaker for the evening service. McKenna is a teaching pastor at Westcity Church in Australia and he and his family live with 17 recently arrived refugees at First Home Project modeling Christian Hospitality. He also serves as World Vision Australia’s national advisor for Youth, Faith, and Activism. In between worship services were workshops, small group meetings, service projects, and mountain hiking trips. A peace vigil was sponsored by On Earth Peace just prior to evening worship. A concert by the Rend Collective, “an eclectic group of multi-instrumentalists from Northern Ireland,” highlighted the last night of NYC.

Question of the day: How have you seen the Spirit live in someone else this week?

Sam Lombard, Ill. “I saw the Spirit in the way Rodger [Nishioka] spoke at worship.”	Christy Warrensburg, Mo. “One guy I met is radiating positivity 24/7 and it’s just awesome! It makes me happy too!”	Christopher La Cañada, Calif. “I’ve been really impressed with my small group. I think it’s really courageous to have people in high school talking about really important things. So, shout out to small group 117!”	Ian Englewood, Ohio “I’ve seen some people who have been in a valley of their faith recently, and this week they’ve been rejuvenated.”
Emily Imler, Pa. “Our group has really opened up a lot in worship. We’ve really got into it a lot this week.”	Emily Dixon, Ill. “The first couple of days our small group didn’t really talk to each other, but today we opened up and talked. That was nice, and I see the Spirit there.”	Olivia Chambersburg, Pa. “I’ve seen it in everybody whenever we worship and sing, because at first we don’t know the words but we learn them, and it’s just great to hear everybody worshiping God together in one voice.”	Seth and Aaron Duncansville, Pa. “The speakers were pretty inspirational and Spirit-ful.” “I really liked the skits they put on.”

NYC 2014 News Team: Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford, director of News Services. Eddie Edmonds, NYC Tribune editor. Photography: Glenn Riegel, Nevin Dulabaum.Writers: Frank Ramirez, Mandy Garcia. Question of the day: Britnee Harbaugh, Maddie Dulabaum. Web and app support: Don Knieriem, Russ Otto.unker Punks are about how do you embody and relate to the tradition.”
— Jarrod McKenna calling the youth to reject the “Brethren name game” and stop equating belonging in the church with familial relationships.

“To be reconciled with God brings us into right alignment with God…and each other.”
— Leah J. Hileman preaching for the morning worship service. She is pastoring Lake View Christian Fellowship in Southern Pennsylvania District. She added, later in the message, “Paul moved from being a teacher of the Law to a minister of reconciliation.”

“There are a lot of views of Christ flying around and only one of them is true. He is not just a teacher. He is not just a rabbi. He is not just a good example. He is a living person. He is alive.”
— From Leah Hileman’s morning sermon.

“Hallelujah! Amen! On behalf of the youth of Nigeria, I greet you, and thank God for his love and protection of our lives…. We want to present this as a token of our love. As we face a myriad or problems this experience defined the challenge of our true Christian character. I would like to thank you for your support…for such a time as this.”
— Emmanuel Ibrahim, youth director for Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN, the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria), presenting a plaque to youth and young adult ministries director Becky Ullom-Naugle, to Church of the Brethren general secretary Stan Noffsinger, and to Annual Conference moderator David Steele.

“This is incredible!”
— Overheard from a youth looking at the vista in Rocky Mountain National Park.

“Who’s in?”

Following a minute of silent prayer, those two words led to an avalanche of youth coming forward, responding to Jarrod McKenna’s challenge. Having described how much the radical discipleship of the Brethren had inspired the intentional Christian community in Australia which McKenna is a part of, he explained the radical obedience to Jesus that comes from the Anabaptist and Radical Pietist strain of the Brethren tradition. He described the Brethren combination of the mystical and practical presence of Jesus in our midst, calling it a “Dunker punk” version of the “mustard seed conspiracy.” But, McKenna suggested, some Brethren have strayed far from that faith of radical discipleship. He asked for eight youth to respond. “Who’s up for radical revolution?” he asked. Many more than eight came forward. As one, around a thousand youth rose from their places on the floor and in the stands and streamed forward in a quiet, orderly, but determined fashion. McKenna invited the youth to put their arms around each other in mutual support for their newly expressed commitment.

NYC by the numbers

519: Updated total number of Hygiene Kits donated to Church World Service.

1,000+: Number of postcards that youth have signed in support of the Nigerian schoolgirls abducted from Chibok. The postcards are directed to Secretary of State John Kerry, and read: “I’m in Fort Collins, Colorado, with more than 2,000 youth from the Church of the Brethren, U.S., for our National Youth Conference. Our sisters from the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria could have been here too, but they were abducted from their school in Chibok. Please use your office to bring stability to Nigeria and stop the trafficking of women.”

The day’s schedule

Leah J. Hileman, who is pastoring Lake View Christian Fellowship in Southern Pennsylvania District, led the morning worship, with Jarrod McKenna making a return appearance at NYC as guest speaker for the evening service. McKenna is a teaching pastor at Westcity Church in Australia and he and his family live with 17 recently arrived refugees at First Home Project modeling Christian Hospitality. He also serves as World Vision Australia’s national advisor for Youth, Faith, and Activism. In between worship services were workshops, small group meetings, service projects, and mountain hiking trips. A peace vigil was sponsored by On Earth Peace just prior to evening worship. A concert by the Rend Collective, “an eclectic group of multi-instrumentalists from Northern Ireland,” highlighted the last night of NYC.

Question of the day: How have you seen the Spirit live in someone else this week?

Sam Lombard, Ill. “I saw the Spirit in the way Rodger [Nishioka] spoke at worship.”	Christy Warrensburg, Mo. “One guy I met is radiating positivity 24/7 and it’s just awesome! It makes me happy too!”	Christopher La Cañada, Calif. “I’ve been really impressed with my small group. I think it’s really courageous to have people in high school talking about really important things. So, shout out to small group 117!”	Ian Englewood, Ohio “I’ve seen some people who have been in a valley of their faith recently, and this week they’ve been rejuvenated.”
Emily Imler, Pa. “Our group has really opened up a lot in worship. We’ve really got into it a lot this week.”	Emily Dixon, Ill. “The first couple of days our small group didn’t really talk to each other, but today we opened up and talked. That was nice, and I see the Spirit there.”	Olivia Chambersburg, Pa. “I’ve seen it in everybody whenever we worship and sing, because at first we don’t know the words but we learn them, and it’s just great to hear everybody worshiping God together in one voice.”	Seth and Aaron Duncansville, Pa. “The speakers were pretty inspirational and Spirit-ful.” “I really liked the skits they put on.”

NYC 2014 News Team: Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford, director of News Services. Eddie Edmonds, NYC Tribune editor. Photography: Glenn Riegel, Nevin Dulabaum.Writers: Frank Ramirez, Mandy Garcia. Question of the day: Britnee Harbaugh, Maddie Dulabaum. Web and app support: Don Knieriem, Russ Otto.