By Martin J. Koenig
ORCHARD PARK, New York--The Buffalo South Teen Ministry was host for a teen retreat July 31 to Aug. 2. Thirty teens and adults from Florida to Syracuse, New York, focused on trust as the theme for the weekend.
Activities included swimming, volleyball, worship, Bible studies and campfire discussions.
Saturday morning began with a nature walk after breakfast, allowing teens to experience the awesomeness of God's creation.
A worship service, led by Dan and Dorice Maybury, teen leaders in Syracuse, provided the focus on the Lord and his awesomeness.
Pastor John Knaack and his wife, Hannah, divided the teens into separate male and female Bible studies to discuss trust in relationships.
From friendship to dating to marriage, they were encouraged to have love as a foundation (1 Corinthians 13).
Later that evening, Eric Lasch, an elder, presented a Bible study on Trusting Yourself. If you lean on Jesus, Mr. Lasch said, you are grounded and can be held up no matter how much of your burden you give to him.
A guest worship leader, Dan Danforth, and his teenage son, David, provided worship music on guitar and keyboard. Mr. Danforth, a music teacher in the Buffalo public schools, witnessed how he trusted God to lead him to his calling as a church worship leader to share in the gospel of Christ.
Saturday evening was capped off by a campfire discussion centered on Christian-living questions solicited from teens earlier that day.
Sunday began with a work party after breakfast to complete a project for the hosts, Mark and Jennifer Regoord.
The final Bible study for the weekend, Trust in God, given by Martin and Beth Koenig, brought the weekend to a close with why God allows bad things to happen to good people, and why God knows what is best for us.
Copyright © Worldwide Church of God, 1998