Scripture themes
“Who knows? Perhaps you have come to royal dignity for just such a time as this” (Esther 4:14b).
“I, therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called…making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:1 and 3).
Quotable quotes
“If (Esther) was set in modern times there would be a reality show about it. ‘Who Wants to Marry King Ahasuerus.’”
— Jennifer Quijano, describing the “beauty pageant” in the book of Esther in modern-day terms. Quijano was the morning speaker today in worship. She is a Bethany Seminary student and youth and worship director at Cedar Grove Church of the Brethren in Ohio. She described her choice to go to Bethany, which required a move from New York to Indiana, as “a blessed moment… To answer the call means risk and stepping into the unknown,” she told the NYC congregation. “You have been put into this place to hear the call to such a time as this…. We are a blessed community. Look around. Look at all the people God has called right now to this place…. Be courageous disciples. Claim your call in the body of Christ.”
“We have been living, loving, and learning together this week. Whether you know it or believe it, we all belong here…. Tonight I invite you, I beg of you, claim your part in the story, in the call, and your identity. You are a blessed and called child of the Living God. Don’t let anyone tell you you don’t belong. You belong. You belong. You belong. You belong. You belong.”
— Katie Shaw Thompson, preaching for the evening worship service. She pastors at Ivester Church of the Brethren in Grundy Center, Iowa.
“Anointing? It’s really, like, for forgiveness.”
— Overheard as youth left the evening worship service, discussing the meaning of anointing.
NYC by the numbers
$8,559.20: Offering received for the NYC Scholarship Fund.
779: Pounds of food collected for the Larimer County Food Bank. Also received in cash and checks: $1,566.
515+: Hygiene kits collected for Church World Service. Donations of $1,518.50 were received to help pay for shipping.
$6,544.10: Current total received for the Haiti Medical Project.
The day’s schedule
After morning devotions and breakfast, the morning worship service was led by Bethany Seminary student Jennifer Quijano, who serves as youth and worship director at Cedar Grove Church of the Brethren in Ohio. Evening worship was led by Katie Shaw Thompson who pastors at Ivester Church of the Brethren in Grundy Center, Iowa, and helps lead Camp Pine Lake in Northern Plains District. During the evening worship, anointing was offered to all participants, following the traditional Brethren practice of receiving anointing for the strengthening of the spirit as well as for healing of body and mind. In between the worship experiences were workshops, hiking, service projects, recreation, small group meetings, and more. Late night activities included a camp fire, pizza with the Brethren colleges, and an international worship experience.
Question of the day: What blessings have you experienced at NYC 2014? | Samantha Frederick, Md. “The blessing to hang out with my friends and get closer to God.” |
Gabe Goshen, Ind. “Reconnecting with friends I’ve met before and meeting new people. I was born in Colorado too, so it’s really nice to be back.” |
Rachel Prairie City, Iowa “For one, how welcoming everyone has been here. There’s a big sense of community.” |
Maddie Westminster, Md. “Fellowship is a blessing.” |
Nate McPherson, Kan. “I’ve been able to connect with friends I haven’t seen in three years. It’s been nice.” |
Sidney Parkersburg, Iowa “I’ve reconnected with a lot of old friends from workcamps.” |
Ben Westminster, Md. “The Mutual Kumquat concert last night.” |
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.