Advance Conference

I write this from Magnetic Springs, Ohio where I am serving at Advance Conference. Advance conference is the camp for young adults aged 19 throught 29. This week we have about 75 campers and 7 faculty members. i am one of them.

Our theme for this week is "Divinity and diversity." The morning consists of a Bible study, morning prayer (solitary reflection), a keynot presentation, and a small group discussion.
After lunch we have faculty meetings, a "demoi" or committee meeting, free time, and then dinner.

After dinner there is vestpers, a fun activity, a closing circle, snacks and then games and discussion. This hardly explains all that goes on here.

Right now it is 5 o clock. My committee has planned the vespers for tonight and I took a 2 mile walk. And after I write this I am going to go sit in the shade in an adirondack chair and contine reading "Three Cups of Tea" I feel so relaxed because my keynote is over. Audrey and I spoke yesterday about diversity.

The young people here are really impressive. This evening we are going to do a commissioning service for Erin McKinney who is going to be a Global missionary and go to Dominican Republic for a year of working there. At the serive three people will speak about their year of service. Ryan wen to India and worked at a hospice for Aids victims, Christa went to Israel, and Erin went to Paraguay and I believe worked in a school. Then after that year they "went on with their lives" and have surely been influeced by the experience.

In our discussions we have college students, young professionals, and some who are working their first jobs. The conversations are rich. At the same time, they are having a lot of fun. As I went to bed last night at 11:30, there was a game of "Capture the Flag" being started.

So, it is good to be away from the everyday church world and have a new group of people to guide and to learn from.