Tuesday Morning: We're Going Everywhere

Tuesday morning had one activity: the  general session. The theme for the morning was "We're going everywhere." The session was a commissioning service for students as they headed back into their normal lives. The morning started with several dramatic sketches by One Time Blind and some worship led by the Tabor worship team.

Above: The Tabor worship team, joined by a student choir, leads the crowd

What followed has become an important moment for the national youth conference: the offering. Chris Eides did a wonderful job describing how the last offering (taken at Estes 03) had supported the building of a gym for the North Carolina conference. This year's offering was taken to help relieve the burdens of the people and Churches of the central valley in California. This area was devastated by a freeze that destroyed the orange crops and took away the jobs and incomes of many farm workers. Maricela Chavez, a member of the Iglesia El Buen Pastor congregation in Orange Cove, CA, spoke passionately about the many needs that her church and others have in the area. The $5000 that was collected during this offering will be given to a special project of the Mennonite Central Committee working with the freeze victims.

Above: Maricela and Chris talk about the Anaheim 07 offering

Roy Crowne was up next with a challenge to take Jesus' words seriously and move into the world in His name. Though out the conference Roy has been emphasizing the need to not remove ourselves from the world, but to learn how to live in it and be a representative of Christ and his kingdom. This is one of the reasons the conference takes place in an urban center.

Above: Roy captured the hearts and attention of students and leaders alike

The final feature of the morning service has been a long-standing tradition of the national M.B. youth conference. We ended by sharing communion together in groups. Each church found a spot to celebrate the Lord's supper and to reflect on the things that they had learned while sharing the bread and cup. Groups scattered around the meeting room and in the hallways. After that, it was one more song and a prayer.

From there groups went back to their rooms and finished their packing. Those who were flying out on Tuesday quickly headed to the lobby and waited for the buses that would take them to the airport. Thanks to several PDC churches (Reedley, Dinuba and Bethany) who lent their buses for the transportation of hundreds of people to the Orange County airport. The lobby of the Hilton was filled with luggage, hugs and kisses, and good-byes.

Comments

[Noelle Penner]

Does anyone know the name of the closing song and who sings it? We sang that song at Hartland, and now Anaheim and I really like it and would like to learn it so we can sing it at my youth group. I guess just e-mail me if you have any info. Thanks!
Noelle

[Tim]

Noelle, I can't remember exactly, but I think the last song was "Mysterious Light" by Charlie Hall. Check out a short clip here: http://anaheim07.typepad.com/Uploads/MarvelousLight.mp3 .
I'm sure you can find it on iTunes if you want the full recording. It's a great song!

[Noelle]

Thanks!