Thousands will 'Come and See' at National Youth Conference 2006.

The National Youth Conference (NYC) of the Church of the Brethren will be held on the campus of Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colo., July 22-27. NYC will draw more than 3,600 teenage youth and adult advisors from the across the US and Puerto Rico, and a group from the Dominican Republic.

"Come and See" is the theme of the conference, which takes place every four years. Activities include morning and evening worship celebrations each day, concerts, workshops, mountain hikes, and service projects, among a host of other opportunities.

Presenters for worship celebrations include:

Jim Wallis, of the Sojourners Community in Washington, D.C., known nationally for his work to promote a Christian approach to current political issues and author of the best seller, "God's Politics: Why the Right Gets It Wrong and the Left Doesn't Get It," speaking on Monday evening, July 24. The service will be followed by a "Talk Back" session with Wallis.

Craig Kielburger, an internationally recognized advocate for children's rights and founder of Free the Children, speaking Sunday evening, July 23.

The Mennonite comedy duo Ted and Lee, performing Sunday morning, July 23.

Three Church of the Brethren youth--Allen Bowers, Jamie Frye, and Chrissy Sollenberger--who will speak for worship on Monday morning, July 24, as winners of a youth speech contest.

Other Brethren preachers include Jeff Carter, pastor of Manassas (Va.) Church of the Brethren, speaking Saturday evening, July 22; Beth Gunzel, consultant for a microloan community development program in the Dominican Republic working with the Global Mission Partnerships of the Church of the Brethren General Board, speaking Tuesday evening, July 25; Andy Murray, founder of the Baker Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies at Juniata College in Huntingdon, Pa., and a popular Brethren singer and songwriter, speaking Wednesday morning, July 26; Dawn Ottoni Wilhelm, associate professor of preaching and worship at Bethany Theological Seminary, speaking Wednesday evening, July 26; and David Radcliff, director of the New Community Project, a Church of the Brethren related nonprofit organization, speaking Thursday morning, July 27. Tuesday morning worship on July 25 will be on the theme "Church of the Brethren Connections," led by General Board staff and others.

Among musicians featured at the conference are Superchic[k], in concert the evening of Sunday, July 23; and Christian musician Ken Medema, featured in evening worship on Monday, July 24, and in a late-evening concert Tuesday, July 25.

Another main event will be "REGNUH: Turning Hunger Around," a 5K walk/run fundraiser to "undo" hunger (try spelling the name of the event backward) through the Global Food Crisis Fund. The fund is a ministry of the General Board. REGNUH will take place on a course around the CSU campus on Sunday afternoon, July 23.

The conference is planned and carried out by the National Youth Cabinet and a team of three young adult coordinators--Cindy Laprade, Beth Rhodes, and Emily Tyler--along with denominational staff and many volunteers from across the church.

Source: 7/21/2006 Newsline Special: Preview of National Youth Conference
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