Youth

Saturday began with a worship service featuring four speakers telling stories about how the holy spirit acted in their lives.  After lunch at a Mongolian grill, we tried to get into a seminar on the paranormal, but couldn't because it was full.  We then spent time in the exhibit hall, found people to juggle with, and went to a few other seminars.  The other youth ate supper with Claire and Megan's roommates, while I ate with my uncle and cousins, and talked briefly with Steve and Amber Ratzlaff.

The beginning of the day was interesting because Micah and David woke up with only 5-10 minutes until worship.  With this in mind, we decided to not take showers before and somehow we made it over to the arena.  After worship we went to eat with David and Sharon Orr.  The food was delicious.  Now after the food, all of us went to a Pax Avalon seminar which was about comic books.  The best part about that was we made our own story which had a spatula of justice.  Then we went and played some hacky sack, which was fun.  Then there was night worship, which was hymn singing and watching

For our morning service, our speaker was Shane Hipps.  Not only did he preach a good sermon about how every breath we take is a gift from God, but he taught us a dance.  As his surname is Hipps, he often gets asked if he knows how to move his hips. He decided to master one dance move, called the Booty X.  He taught us how to Booty X.

That after noon we ate lunch with Hannah, who told us about her work with Pink Mennos, an organization trying to get GLBT issues recognized during convention and in the greater Mennonite Church.

So we survived our first day in Ohio!  It actually wasn't very hard.  After a refreshing sleep in uncomfortable bus seats, we stopped at Bob Evans to refuel.  We arrived at the Convention Center in Columbus, Ohio, around noon, and after walking downtown in a futile search for a store that sold hacky sacks, we went out to eat.  Micah got a hot dog with the world's hottest pepper in it.  He bravely downed half of it.  I enjoyed a rhubarb soda with my meal and no one else got anything memorable, but I'm sure it was all delicious. 

The First Mennonite youth group will be heading across the country!  Their destination?  The Mennonite Youth Convention in Columbus, Ohio!  The youth will spend the week participating in worship services, attending a variety of seminars, and completing a service project in the community.  Please keep the youth group in your prayers as they travel through Monday night.

As part of their study of Matthew 25:31-46, Baptism Exploration Group members viewed a video about poverty in Lincoln called, "Do You Really See Me?"  They then interviewed people from the congregation and created a video of their responses. The video was originally presented during the November 17 worship service and is now available on YouTube.

The Junior Youth group spent Halloween Night collecting non-perishable food donations for People's City Mission.  The thirteen group members and younger siblings went door-to-door in the neighborhood around the church.