July 26

Today we have the privilege of hearing from the youth who went to the Montreat Youth Conference. Going to Montreat is a tradition recently revived at Eastminster. The Rev. Jennifer McGee, herself a youth of the church, has gone to Montreat for 30 years in a row. When she was serving on staff here she worked with Julie Rogers-Martin and the Children Youth and Family Ministries Committee to enable five youth to attend Montreat in 2014. This year the number grew to fourteen youth and two adult sponsors, in large part due to the generosity of the EPC congregation which helped make their attendance possible. Attending camps and conferences are important, life changing events, as you will probably hear from the testimonies today. Statistics bear it out. Over 40% of pastors point to camps and conferences as being formative in their “call” to ministry. I’m sure the number is very significant in the “calls” of church officers as well. Supporting such activities with our time, talents and treasures is good stewardship. I was pleased to attend Montreat this year. As I look over the schedule, we spent well over 50 hours engaged directly in worship and spiritual formation activities such as small groups, Bible studies, and journaling. That’s a year of Sunday School with no absences all in one week, all with excellent preachers, teachers and youth from around the country. Add to that exploring the beauty of nature, artistic activities such as pottery making and group-building activities and it is no wonder that lives are changed… and that we all come back a bit tired… yet with stories that have shaped our lives. For me, I was pleased to see the ways in which our youth group handled adversity together. We had a van break down causing a six hour delay on the way up to camp. There was little whining and a lot of good support. The group set a good example when stuck in a fast food restaurant during that time. We remained welcome there. The Youth Council worked with adult leaders to make decisions, maintain the spiritual, and disciplinary climate, and to encourage all. I am very impressed with the leaders of the youth group. One activity was to climb Lookout Mountain. It was not an easy climb, but with encouragement of one another, all kids (and advisors) made it! As a church in an often hostile world, we will have “mountains” to climb as well. I pray that we too support each other and allow God to equip us with that which will allow us to shine the light of Christ in the world. For it is support and teamwork, being the body of Christ, which makes an often meaningless existence become “meaning-full.” Colossians 3:12-17 will be a theme scripture as the youth go forward this year. I commend it to us all for meditation and action: “Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Thanks for supporting our youth! Blessings, Tim