Approximately 16 youth and adults left on
Saturday, July 17, for the 2010 Youth Conference at the Montreat Conference Center near Ashville, North Carolina. The participants were commissioned during the WOW service on
Wednesday, July 14. Check this website daily as the participants will post their daily experiences. To learn more about the conference, visit their website at
montreat.org. They will return on Saturday, July 24th. Please pray that the youth and adults will be called to be the church of today and tomorrow.
Thursdays pictures are at the beginning of the slide show. Enjoy.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Today was a nice, hot and steamy day!! But the sun was beautiful, and I think we all enjoyed ourselves. Our small group discussion topic today was about the differences between being rich and poor and what you can do to help make things better and equal. From what I learned today, there isn’t much you can do to actually change the world, but you can always help make a difference. Like today in our keynote sermon, the small group leader of all leaders gave us some good ideas to help. One of the things he is doing to help make a difference is something I am sure we have all participated in, feeding the hungry and homeless. But not only does he volunteer with that, he also keeps a pack of bottled water in his trunk so that way he has an excuse to actually help and talk to a homeless person. I think this idea is very inspiring, because we do pass by homeless people like we don’t even see them, its like we are trying to ignore the fact that people actually live that way.
All and all, today was great! We did lots of shopping and got to watch the famous Riley Neil take the stage of the Variety Show and play the piano. What a great way to wind down this beautiful day. – Megan Kelly
Starting off the day with energy, we headed off to face Montreat and experience the unjust systems in our world. With small group this morning we discussed how the wealth distribution is unfair by playing a game with paperclips. This cause much controversy amongst the conferees, and to much dismay, proved to many people that if a person is given wealth it is most likely that they are going to just want even more wealth instead of giving it to someone less fortunate.
After our adventures in small group, we decided to go for a much needed shopping trip to buy souvenirs or presents for our parents in the extremely small town of Black Mountain. Looking through the stores, we found many interesting things amongst the various jewelry, antique, and pottery stores such as guns that shoot off rubber bands, magic boxer shorts, magic socks, key chains that make animal noises and light up, as well as a hillbilly line that included shot glasses, toothbrushes, cell phones, and crayons. Later we arrived for service, along with watching the variety show with a performance by the FABULOUS Riley Neil, who was by far the most talented piano player in the entire conference. Well, now we’re off to bed now kids, so we’ll give you another update tomorrow.
–Emma Croskrey
P.S. – I love and miss you, Mommy. ;-*
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Today we learned that we are not going though the waters/storms alone. We always have god with us. We would like god to fix the problems we encounter during our storms. Understanding that god’s will been done. However, God works in mysterious ways. Though He may not give us the answers we want, one way or another our prayers are answered through others. God is not just one being, His spirit is in all of us no matter what.
Along with learning this concept we also had fun enjoying our free afternoon. We went to Pisgah National Forest where there is a rock known as sliding rock. It is a God made rock that is big enough and smooth enough to be its own waterslide. After going down it twice (it was a half hour wait or so) we went to Looking glass Falls. Here, we were able to swim underneath a waterfall and also enjoyed being able to jump off of rocks into the waters. We came back, went to worship and enjoyed some lasagna later. For the recreation event tonight there was a limbo contest that Amy, Jay and Riley participated in while the rest of us cheered. Riley won. Overall, it was a good Wednesday.
Michelle Kelly
Today in our small groups, we learned and read some scriptures from the bible, and we wrote our own stories to the passage from the bible called midrash. We also got to know people in our small groups a little bit more. We also learned that we don’t go through our storms alone, and that God works in mysterious ways, and loves us ridiculously and will forever. Today was our free day, we got back from small group, and all the adults had lunch ready, we changed into our swimsuits, and jumped into the two vans and went off two hours, and went to sliding rock, and we all went down the sliding rock at least two or three times, and then we went to the waterfall, and I overcame my fear a little bit of heights and climbed the mountain and jumped into the water, scrapping my legs really bad in the process, but it was all worth it.
Amy Newsome
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Tuesday was a very stormy day. The weather was appropriate for our theme “In These Waters” which varied between a downpour and light rain. Likewise, our youth group embraced the storms in their own lives by discussing issues which affect them. Topics like divorce, broken relationships, and death were prevalent. Much of the conversation was accompanied by tears, thoughtful words of encouragement, and amazement at the depth of feeling being shared.
The youth were confronted with two sections of Scripture, several from Job and two from Psalms, which geographically mapped out suffering. In Job, they learned that suffering is indiscriminate and yet in the midst of storms, God is there comforting us. Psalms 22 and 130 reassured them that it is okay to be angry with God. Several discoveries were made at this time as it revealed that many youth feel that being angry with God is taboo and sinful. It was with joy, tears and several tissues later that through this discovery their relationship with God had changed. Praise God.
Love, Echo Hill Youth
Today we tackled the depths of water. We all started our small groups today, and no one knew what to expect. It was a good first day for most people. We are still getting to know the people in our groups so everyone is still a bit shy. The worship service at night was amazing. They did a thing in the beginning of the service called the bringing of the elements. The elements are the bible, the waters of baptism, and the color significance and flags which represented the cleansing water of baptism and the purity of Christ. It was really really cool!!!
Love, Echo Hill Youth
Sunday, July 18, 2010
This morning we began what we believed to be a five hour drive, only to realize that traffic, frequent potty breaks, and Destination Unknown would make us arrive five hours off schedule.
Starting at the first rest stop, things began to get interesting with Marge attempting to get into a van which was headed to Nashville, while the youth snickered at her mistake from inside their vans. Then everything went according to plan and we headed off towards Cumberland Falls, where we enjoyed a lovely lunch along with wading in the river and taking many pictures.
Once we began getting closer to Black Mountain, we ran into some troubles with traffic. First, while we were driving along, suddenly the tire flew off of the car’s boat trailer and traveled across the interstate. Next, we came along a few miles of traffic to discover that a car had flipped upside down after striking the median. After the youth gleefully shouted to see traffic moving, they turned the corner to find even more traffic for miles. So we sat. After FINALLY reaching our destination, a few youth treated themselves to their first shower since Friday while others began cleaning the van. The youth looked at their options of what to do since they were behind schedule, and they ended up eating dinner after 11 PM after attending service and going to a recreational event where they met other youth.
Our house is a very roomy place with THREE SHOWERS as well as having a large sitting area and many beds.
As of now, the pranks are beginning, starting with Jay and Riley hiding under the porch while Michelle is on the phone having a “comfortable” conversation with her boyfriend about crazy clowns hiding in the mountains, waiting for the perfect moment to scream so she would freak out. After accomplishing this twice, Michelle retreated back into the house where Greg tormented her endlessly as well as everyone else. But where were Jay and Riley? No where to be found. Suddenly, we hear a knock against the windows, to which Michelle screams yet again, and bolts across the room.
And the games begin…
Love, Echo Hill Youth
Saturday, July 17th, 2010
We sat in the car way too long! However, no one asked, “Are we there yet?!” There were many sleepy heads in the bunch. Good food in a pizza buffet. McKay threw a temper tantrum trying to stand up. Where we’re staying happens to be very comfortable, with lots of a commendations. Such as; couches, a pool table, ping pong table, lots of rooms for a very generous amount to sleep in.
Malea: Getting to know each other better. Riley: Having no car troubles on the way down.McKay: I pooped my pants. A lot. Doug: Napping the way over. 
Megan: The buffet, and winning the stuffed animals! Michelle: The buffet and the nice people who paid for it. (Being a cop). Amy: Walking the “House of Wax” town. And getting whacked in the face by McKay with a flip flop. Emma: Wasting $5 to win a stuffed animal. And watching Riley and Jay make fools of themselves. Jay: The fellowship of one another, and having super awesome fun times. Also, car ride with Emma.
Deb: Having the boys and girls separated, (Amy’s idea). Jim: Walking around the historical part of the city. George: Nice to have a good group of kids that get along. Nancy: I Loved Glenda, the GOOD GPS. Marge: Getting to know everyone that I’m traveling with. Steven: Having a quiet ride here, low noise. Jen: No one should be surprised that I wanna make Frankfurt my next home. And that I was the only awake during the drive, while I was the one driving. Thank you Glenda the GOOD GPS.
Thanks you First Presbyterian of Frankfurt, Rev. Katherine Redmond, and Oscar. Also, of course Glenda the GOOD GPS. Also, JEN’S AWESOME GOOGLE PHONE. So far, this trip has been pretty exciting, somewhat sleepy, but overall fantastic (and awesome).
Love, Echo Hill Youth
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