Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Going to YS

We finally registered our team for the Youth Specialties National Youthworkers Convention yesterday. We are taking ten people from our team. It's always fun to have a bit of a crew at YS - talking about sessions during meals, playing video games in the hotel room until 3am, doing mischievous things, and just bonding.

The first NYWC I attended was back in 1993 when it was at a hotel by LAX. I think Amy Grant sang and everybody was all excited - I was the bratty young youthworker who thought all those people were lame. But I loved the event back then and I still do fourteen years later. Something special happens when you see 5,000 youthworkers in a big room worshiping God together and resonating with the speaker in the same way. We can feel alone at our different churches, but we come together and "everything is alright." It's big and loud and inspiring and has good training for my staff.

I also love taking my team to the Hume Lake Youth Pastor Retreat in May for a different sort of time. More quiet, smaller, and with a different method of caring for the soul.

We are going to the San Diego event. Anyone else going????

4 comments:

jibby said...

I remember you and Wenger at that YS convention and I remember Amy Grant - but I think I was one of those dorks excited to see her. heeheehee.

ashdown said...

i wanna go with you for old times sake. remember xbox in sactown. aww yea!

eric beeman said...

I'll be there. I'm helping out so I'll be working the main stage.

I'd love to hook up for lunch or dinner one day.

Let me know...

Jeremy Copeland said...

Hey Erik, somehow i randomly ran across your blog on here. I think I clicked on the "youth pastor" tag by my name and saw you. Anyway, we'll be at YS in San Diego too. It would be cool to see you there - is your wife going? Kimi will be in the area, as well as our daughter Hannah, so I'm sure she would love to see you guys. I can' believe how big Grace is now! Wow, i saw the pictures on your blog. Pretty cool. Anyway, hope to hear from you.

Jeremy Copeland