By Ally Horine | Echo
It's that time of year. High schoolers flood Taylor's campus as Youth Conference begins this weekend. Dorms are packed to capacity and lines at the DC stretch for miles. But for these high schoolers, this is a weekend to remember.
High school students arrive on campus today to participate in Taylor's annual Youth Conference, or YC. This weekend-long event includes four main chapel sessions, a service project and a concert. The speaker this year is Jeffrey Dean, a Christian teen speaker and pastor, who will be speaking on the theme, "Justified."
"The idea for this theme came from Galatians 2:16," YC co-director Dan Clemens explained. "We selected this theme because we feel high school students often struggle to understand the concept of not being 'good enough.' We want to bridge the gap between works and faith, and help students to understand they are loved, despite their imperfections."
One unique aspect of YC is that high school students get the opportunity to meet in small groups with college students. Each small group is comprised of 4-6 high school students and two Taylor students who volunteer to lead for the weekend.
Taylor students not leading small groups also have the ability to invest in these high school students by hosting them in their dorm rooms. These arrangements facilitate deeper conversation and provides college students with an ability to mentor the high school students for the weekend.
"I am really excited to engage with students, and share with high schoolers that might not know The Lord," small group leader Taylor Coats said. "As they leave this weekend, I want them to know they are loved by an amazing God, and to get a taste of the capacity of what His love means."
Along with the sessions and small groups, students will have the opportunity to participate in a service project tomorrow afternoon. This project will involve repainting the walls at the Indiana University Nursing Center in Hartford City.
After the service project students will have a session tomorrow night followed by a concert performance from Christian Rap artist, Derek Minor. This concert is also open to the Taylor student body, and tickets will be available at the door for $8.
The weekend concludes Sunday morning after a final session and a lunch banquet.
"Our biggest hope for this weekend is that students understand themselves in a deeper way and that they are justified through Christ as long as they have faith in Him," YC co-director Allie Sleeting said. "We are excited for Taylor to once again open its doors to high school students and actively be the hands and feet of Christ right here on our own campus."Thumbnail image courtesy of Sarah Topp.
