This past weekend, we hosted our inaugural 58 conference at Chestnut Ridge Church, and it was truly amazing. What was it like?
It was like mobilizing over 90 volunteers to serve and connect with middle school and high school students from all over the state of WV.
It was like seeing these students hang out, connect, and discuss some life changing talks during the weekend.
It was like impacting an entire city as students and volunteers joined together to step out in faith and serve various non-profit agencies across the city of Morgantown during an early morning FAITHventure.
It was like changing the way a generation thinks about issues like hunger, clean water, and wealth.
It was like watching a generation of young West Virginians step up to make a difference in God’s big World.
Yup, it was a life changing historic weekend for us at Chestnut Ridge Church. We will be thanking our Creator for it for a long time.
For the last several weeks, a group of us at chestnut ridge church have been working furiously to put together a conference that culminates this weekend. The 58 conference is a call to follow in the footsteps of God the Defender and Provider. the 58conference is a call to defend the defenseless and to provide for those in need in our communities, our state, our nation and our world.
the 58conference is a state-wide gathering of high school and middle school students in West Virginia passionate about standing up for those who cannot, putting our faith in action, taking seriously the words of God, spoken through the prophet Isaiah…
“is this not the fast which i choose,
to loosen the bonds of wickedness,
to undo the bands of the yoke
and to let the oppressed go free
and break every yoke?
“is it not to divide your bread with the hungry
and bring the homeless poor into the house
when you see the naked, to cover him;
and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?
“then your light will break out like the dawn,
and your recovery will speedily spring forth;
and your righteousness will go before you;
the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.”
ISAIAH 58
In coordination with the conference, churches around the state have been participating in a state wide food drive to fill food pantries around WV.
Our goal with this conference is to see students come alive for God, and to see the great needs of our world, and God's desire to see them work toward bringing healing to the hurts of our world.
There are a number of great organizations who will be participating in the conference as well. These include, Dry Tears--An organization dedicated to getting water to people who do not have access. World Vision--an organization that works to bring compassion and justice to our world. Nuru International--an organization dedicated to helping impoverished communities of 5,000-`10,000 people lift themselves out of extreme poverty for good. Invisible Children--an organization dedicated to ending a 20 year civil war in Uganda.
If you think about it, say a prayer for us and our participants. The kids who are coming to this conference will be fasting for 30 hours as part of the conference, and we are praying for this to be a life-changing weekend for everyone involved.
