Grout calls young adults to enter into God's kingdom.

This year's Church of the Brethren Young Adult Conference, held at Camp Harmony near Hooversville, Pa., brought together about 85 people Memorial Day weekend. Paul Grout of the A Place Apart community in Putney, Vt., provided keynote leadership through the weekend, speaking on the theme "But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers" from James 1.

"You can sit through hundreds of sermons, and at the end of your life not understand the kingdom of God," Grout told the group. "You have to enter into it." Grout discussed elements needed to be fully alive and find wholeness, moving into a new paradigm of faith in which seeking is key.

Several young adults planned worship for the weekend, with Grout and Meryl Reist preaching in two of the services and a group doing a drama in a third. Brethren folksinger Joseph Helfrich led music. The conference schedule also included a campfire, games, recreation, workshops, and singing.

Next year's National Young Adult Conference is a larger event, scheduled for Aug. 11-15, 2008, in Estes Park, Colo.

--Walt Wiltschek is editor of the Church of the Brethren "Messenger" magazine.

Source: 07/04/2007 Newsline