North Country

WINTER WEEKEND
 2008

  

   The weekend began with our traditional blowing of the ram's horn to sound the alarm on Zion's Mountain and to call the people to gather for a time of learning, training and celebrating.  And we did all those things and more!

    Our speaker was Pastor Richard McIntyre who is our own northeast area minister for ABCOPAD.  Our theme was Cross Training and we heard about Cross Wearing, Cross Bearing, Cross Tearing and Cross Sharing!  Hearts were touched through Pastor Richard's challenges to grow in our faith and to be brave in our witnessing.  Our Praise and Worship team, made up of our own present and past youth group members, led us in times of musical worship.  During Saturday's sharing time we heard testimonies of how God has been faithful in lives during some difficult times.               
    Throughout the weekend we enjoyed the sharing of talents through drama, art, music and musical signing.  A group of crafters decorated mouse pads for us to take home so that we could be reminded of our time together.  And it was high quality time, enjoying being part of God's family and getting to know each other better and talking about our faith and sharing our struggles. 

    One of our teens arrived late because her family's barn had burned earlier in the week and almost all of the cows had perished, even her 4-H show cows.  But she had wanted to come, and was able to tell us some about the devastation and was able to say at the end, "But I have faith."   And that is what it is all about, sharing our pain, leaning on each other and knowing that the bottom line is -  our faith is the most important thing even when we don't understand it all.

    So each year we gather on Mt. Zion and come away renewed, knowing God is good and Christian friends are such a blessing!