Student Leaders Track
Schedule of Workshops:
Andrew Blackstone
Eat This Scroll
God calls each of us to fully absorb the word of God to the point that it is the natural outpouring of our lives. This session will challenge and equip those involved in ministry to make the word of God the center of their lives and ministry.
Andrew Blackstone is a junior Global Christian Ministries Major at Messiah College. He has been the volunteer leader in the youth group at Calvary Fellowship of Mechanicsburg for a year and half. He is deeply passionate about the word of God and has a heart to ignite a similar passion in the lives of others. He is also studying Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) as a minor and loves working with refugee English learners in Harrisburg.
Keith & Kristyn Getty
Worship Seminar [Offered only at 9:45 a.m.]
The Gettys specialize in writing hymns and songs for use in the modern day church. Their music is receiving international acclaim for both for its artistic appeal and its faithful expression of Biblical and doctrinal themes. In addition to providing opening worship and an evening concert, the Gettys have agreed to offer a workshop on leading worship as part of the conference program.
For biographical information, see their profile.
Christy Hanson
Navigating the future: What is God calling me to do with my life?
How does one come to discover their purpose, passion, their calling? This seminar will explore the meaning of vocation and calling as it relates to career decision-making. Using real life examples, we will focus on practical ways to discern calling in our own lives.
Christy Hanson is the assistant director of career development at Messiah College. She holds an M.S. in Counseling from Shippensburg University. Christy's professional interests include assisting students in discovering personal strengths and discerning meaningful vocations.
Jennifer Harry and Alli Walz
Having an impact for God through the Creative Arts
This seminar will focus on the use of dance and drama as tools for raising difficult issues, asking tough questions, and communicating the gospel to an emerging generation of young people.
Jen is a Family and Consumer Sciences teacher at Tyrone Area Middle School in Tyrone, Pa. She spends time out of school teaching dance at the Dance Fusion dance school. She also facilitates a dance ministry at Second Avenue United Methodist Church in Altoona, Pa. Jesus brings joy to her steps and she never tires of worshiping Him through dance.
Alli is currently a sophomore nursing major at Messiah College. Over the past four years she has shared the privilege of working with Salt and Light Youth Ministries during the summer season and throughout the year. As co-director of the creative arts arm of Salt and Light, Alli has had the opportunity to express her passion for Christ through her love of dance and drama. This expressive form of worship has provided an avenue for youth through the Mid-Atlantic region to see the love of God in a non-traditional setting.
Drew Hart
Separate No More
In the past 50 years our country has gone from a racially-segregated society to transforming many laws to protect equality and justice for all. Yet despite this progress racism still flourishes and Sunday mornings are the most segregated time of the week. This seminar seeks to challenge and encourage student leaders to live out God's call of unity and reconciliation in our very divided world.
Drew has served as Pastor of Youth at Harrisburg Brethren in Christ Church since February 2005. He also works for the after-school program at Harrisburg Nativity School. Drew has been a speaker to a diverse mix of audiences at various churches, Messiah College chapels, youth centers, and more recently for the Northeast Region Mosaix Multi-ethnic Conference. He loves young people and is passionate about racial reconciliation.
Abbie Manley
Alone In My Flesh - The Battle of the Mind (For gals only)
Alone in my flesh.... It's time to shed light onto what has been hidden for so long by restoring a healthy female mind, body and soul.
Abbie is currently employed as the Children and Youth director at York Springs United Methodist Church and works with Salt and Light youth ministry during the summer. She is also starting graduate studies in January at Liberty University for Pastoral Counseling. She graduated from Messiah College in 2007 with a degree in Christian Ministry. Ever since becoming a Christian five years ago, Abbie has been involved in a host of youth ministry venues.
Dr. Jay McDermond and Kristina Lewis, (For Adults and Student Leaders)
The Peaceable Kingdom: Teaching Youth Peace? [Offered only during 9:45 a.m. track.]
This session will explore the biblical foundation and vision for peacemaking. These principles will then be applied to practical concerns of youth ministries and their surrounding communities. Participants are encouraged to bring personal examples and illustrations for discussion.
Jay is professor of Christian Ministry and Spirituality and has taught at Messiah College since 1987. He also serves as the Director of the Sider Institute for Anabaptist, Pietist and Wesleyan Studies and holds the Hostetter Chair of Religious Studies. In May, 2003 he was named as "Smith Outstanding Teacher of the Year". An avid reader, this year he is focusing primarily on the biographies of Christians, such as Mr. Rogers, Mother Teresa and William Wilberforce, among others.
Kristina is a senior majoring in Christian Ministries with a concentration in Youth Ministry at Messiah College. Kristina grew up in Grottoes, Virginia, and is still actively involved with her home congregation, Mt. Olive Brethren Church. Her interest in peace and justice has been fostered by the Anabaptist heritage of Messiah. Following graduation from Messiah, Kristina intends to serve God by serving others in some form of practical ministry. In her free time, Kristina enjoys writing, cooking, and hanging out with friends.
Derek Melleby
Looking Ahead: Preparing for the College Transition
Why are you going to college? Seriously. Have you thought about this important question? Is college simply the assumed next step after high school? It was for me, and as I look back on my experience, I wish I had thought through the college decision a bit more carefully. That's what we will do in this interactive time together: develop biblically crafted answers to some of the most important questions you will ask during the college transition.
Derek Melleby is the director of the College Transition Initiative for the Center for Parent/Youth Understanding through a partnership with the Coalition for Christian Outreach. He is also an assistant basketball coach at Penn State Harrisburg and drinks too much coffee. His book, The Outrageous Idea of Academic Faithfulness: A Guide for Students (Brazos Press, 2007) was written to help students make the most of the college experience.
Christie Miller
Equipped and Ready to Serve: Discovering how your God-given gifts and passions can be used effectively in ministry
This seminar will explore how spiritual gifts and individual strengths can fuel innovative approaches to different types of ministry. We will seek to answer the questions: What are my gifts? What are my passions? How can I use them in ministry? How do I get started?
Christie is a sophomore Christian Ministries major at Messiah College. She has been working as a student youth leader in her home church, Cornerstone Christian Fellowship in West Chester, Pa. for nearly 6 years and is looking forward to serving as a youth ministries intern with her church in summer 2008. She has also been involved in several youth missions to Central America and Ecuador. If Christie wasn't so passionate about her faith and youth ministry, she would probably become a storm chaser.
Keith Miller
Don't Just Sit There: Moving from Consumers to Influencers in your Youth Group
We will explore viewing youth group as being primarily for "me" to seeing ourselves as actively involved in life changing ministry among our friends.
Keith Miller is Pastor of High School Ministries at Manor Church, a Brethren in Christ Church in Lancaster, PA. Keith and his wife Bethany have been working with students for nearly 3 years and absolutely love it. Keith has a passion for challenging students to take their faith to new levels by following Jesus in radical ways in every area of life. When the free moments come, Keith will inevitably be found outside on a long distance running, backpacking throughout the country, or playing disc golf (his new obsession!).
Drew Robeson
Marshmallows or Rocks?
Would you rather be hit with the grace of a marshmallow or the truth of a spiritual rock? What are we throwing at strangers, friends or parents? "Grace and Truth came through Jesus" and as followers of Jesus we are to pass on His Grace and Truth in balance. Through role-playing case studies we will explore situations where we are to be agents of both Grace and Truth.
Continually amazed and humbled by the greatness of God, Drew is currently working full-time with youth ministry at Camp Hill United Methodist Church, in Camp Hill, Pa. He lives in Mechanicsburg with his wonderful wife, Jenny, and two daughters.
Justin Watkins
Becoming Prophets to an Unjust World
We are called to cry out against injustice and live God's kingdom ethics in
a world suffering from oppression. Like the Old Testament prophets before
us, God wants to raise up a generation who will feed the hungry, clothe the
naked, and care for the poor. To follow Christ is to live love to a world in
need of both physical and spiritual healing.
Following in his father's footsteps, Justin currently serves as Youth Pastor of Grace United Methodist Church in Millersville, PA. He lives in Lancaster with his wife, Jenna. Jenna and Justin have a deep passion for teenagers and social justice. Both have experienced the suffering that exists in our world firsthand through trips to both Africa and South America. They want to support, equip, and challenge this generation to love a world in need of both spiritual and physical healing. Other passions they share are music, sports (especially football!) and the outdoors.
