POTD 3-27-24

[Pompeii]

LOCAL LUTHERAN YOUTH ATTEND YOUTHQUAKE!

Front row left to right:  Rev. Amy Godshall-Miller and Debbie Finalle; back row left to right: Ansen Armagost, Drew London, Grace Prontock, Lief Galland, Virginia Myers and Lilly Phillips. 

Faith, service and music were all a part of the experience for six young people and three adults representing Christ Lutheran Church, DuBois, at Youthquake!. The event, for students in grades six to twelve, is sponsored by Life Promotions.        

“The theme was Breathe,” said Rev. Amy Godshall-Miller, pastor at Christ Lutheran. “Events focused on today’s busy youth taking time out to pray, worship, and read the Bible. It was good for the kids to get away like this for a weekend.”

Approximately 200 people participated in Youthquake!, held at the Marriott Pittsburgh Airport, Coraopolis. It builds a weekend experience that makes faith come alive for youth. The regional events partner with youth leaders in local churches to help teens become established in their faith, empowered for Christian living and enabled to live a life of ministry and leadership.

The youth and guests representing Christ Lutheran were:  Virginia Myers, Lilly Phillips, Ansen Armagost, Grace Prontock, Drew London, and Lief Galland, who is from Pittsburgh. Drew London celebrated his birthday while attending Youthquake!. Adults accompanying the student were:  Godshall-Miller, Debbie Finalle, and Penny Prontock.

“This brough back memories for me,” said Godshall-Miller. “When I was a just starting in ministry I attend for many years when it was known as the Lutheran Youth Encounter. I saw our young people build memories and friendships. They had a great time. They are ready to go again and talked about who they would invite next year.”
            
The weekend was filled with speakers, music, and workshops. Workshops included packing food for Orphan Grain Train, God, Games and Geekery and talking about tough issues from a Christian perspective. Each day started and ended with what was called family time, when all of the members of the group gathered together.

Pastor Bill Yonker, Senior Pastor at Immanuel Lutheran Church in East Dundee, Illinois, a large suburban congregation with a large school, was the keynote speaker. He travels around the country between 18 to 20 weekends a year speaking at Christian conferences, retreats, high schools, middle schools and college campuses.

Lloyd Garrelts and Todd Miller two of the four members of the Christian band Echelon provided the music for the event. Echelon formed in 1994 and performed together for many years with the purpose of “making Christ known as friend and Savior through music and personal relationships.” After the team years, the members of Echelon remained active in Youth Encounter, by assisting with team training.

Christ Lutheran will hold a summer mission trip for youth from sixth to twelfth grades and all adults from June 16-19. They will travel to the NALC National Disaster Response Warehouse and Retreat Center in Caldwell, Ohio, where they will work in the warehouse and provide help for families in crisis in Caldwell.