Final Friday: Saying Goodbye...For Now

Today began with a heaviness of heart that had, until then, not existed.  This heaviness was of course the realization that our time together this week was drawing to a close, sooner for some than for others. Clay is going to New York tomorrow to stay with his brother. And we have one more night in the amazing house. We had so much fun this week it was an adventure for us. I'm sad that tonight's our last night at the house but we will come back next year. 

This week has truly allowed us to grow not only closer to God, but closer together.  We slept with open windows, enjoyed home cooked meals together at a table, hiked trails, played cards and spit watermelon seeds like champs! 

We are grateful for this time to be together in a thin space breathing this air. We are grateful for all we have learned and the ways we have grown. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers. We look forward to seeing you soon!

Peace,

Samantha, Daniel, George, Liam, Bryan, Andrew, Kendall, and Anna

Thankful Thursday

Today is Thursday....  6th day at this beautiful place in the smokey mountains and today we had a more formal worship and dressed in the best clothes we had at the time.  Some of us were wearing non-wrinkled shorts and a clean t-shirt. Then we went to small groups and Bryan and I went to sound check for the talent show.  We were kind of nervous at the sound check but got more comfortable on the stage as we played four seconds of our song. So that meant no practice time before the show. So when we got on stage we were not fully prepared but the roaring applause gave us the much needed inspiration.  So we started our song "Feelin Alright". The applause was deafening. As we walked back we were given high fives and slaps on the back as the applause was still going on. On another note we have a youth and two leaders leaving tomorrow. Clay, Amanda, and Isabelle are going different ways. We will miss them and will be thinking about them on the ride as they miss out on the bonding we will have on the van on the way home   So today has been a very successful and great day!!!!! 

Andrew Ayers

Wacko Wednesday! We are halfway there...living on a prayer!

Today began much like the past few have, with a delicious breakfast and rousing keynote service.  However, unlike our experiences these last days, we were blessed with a free afternoon in which we could do almost anything.  Thus, we were able to grow closer as a group through our travels in the town, Black Mountain, and our journey to the overrated labyrinth.  Dinner was impressive as usual, which left us energized and ready for worship.  And so, yet another fulfilling day was ended.

Sincerely,

Daniel 

P.S. What is brown and sticky?

...A stick, of corse.

Taco Tuesday

Montreat is home to many traditions. From rock hopping in the creek to playing frisbee to a variety show to food creations- and our day was full of them. Breakfast couldn't come soon enough as I woke up second (behind Kendall) to the smell and sound of sizzling bacon. Pancakes were a hit too, as the side dish of course, when Kendall and I cranked them out in fun shapes including an angel, Spongebob and Patrick, various mathematical symbols, and hearts. 

The standard circle could not compete with the variety found in our group. For dinner, Kendall was back at it with fixings for our own Taco Tuesday, a celebrated Montreat institution. It's important, we promise. 

To work off the calories we are having too much fun to count, rock hopping and frisbee have been our mainstay. For those of us that cannot seem to master the seemingly simple task of catching and throwing a circular disk and aren't too confident in their personal balance on slippery, sloped rocks....we play cards. From go fish (to try to supplement the absence of actual fishing for George) to speed, no card game has gone unplayed. For me, it has helped me connect to several people more than I thought possible. 

Another thing that has brought out the best in our youth group is the variety show. Big news: Bryan and Andrew Ayers of the Stereo Dogs have been cast as the first act in the show! It's going to be an act that will be hard to follow, I'm positive. 

Tonight, though we rocked triva. We have some smart, worldly people in our group. Although no winner was announced, I'd bet my best pancake that we were pretty close, if not the winners. But that's not the point. I learned something in trivia night. We really do work well together as a team, and boy do we have fun being together. 

When we are not together, we are in small group. Today's lesson encompassed 2 stories: Jacob and Esau as well as the Samaratin woman at the well. These stories have made us reflect on our own stories. Eventhough ours may be short, we have a lot to dwell on and consider. Speaking of considering things...Isabell is considering adopting her small group. Well maybe not, but she sure is obsessed with them. She invited one of them named Kayley for lunch and we did adopt her into our group. This youth group is so loving, and I am continuously reminded of this the longer I spend time with them. 

Lots of Love, 

Samantha 

P.S. Here's our joke of the day: What is red and bad for your teeth?...a brick! 

Monday Madness!

Hello Church!

Today was a little wild! We began our morning with a big Kendall-Dexter-prepared breakfast and then went to our first morning worship service of the conference. We loved the new forms of worship and liturgy reading that we saw this morning! Next, before and after lunch, we broke into our small groups. Some of us were pretty nervous about going to small groups, because we don't entirely know our way around Montreat yet and because we were going to be in groups with no one else from our church. Despite those fears, we all made new friends from other churches! Some of them will be joining us for lunch tomorrow at our house. Other highlights from our day include rock hopping along the creek, having a watermelon seed spitting contest from the front porch (Clay and Daniel tied), having a photo scavenger hunt (see photos below!) around the Montreat campus, eating ice cream together at the Huckleberry, lamenting with George (AKA Geo) that he left his fishing pole at home, and dodging raindrops and scary lightning together after evening worship. We thank you for your continued prayers as we grow and draw closer in this magical place this week. 

With Love,

Isabelle Campbell

We have been to the mountaintop! Sunday at Montreat

"We have been to the mountain top and SEEN IT!!!!"  First we went to an awesome church service and the sermon was phenomenal! Then we scaled "look out mountain".  It was hard but worth it! The smokey mountains are beautiful! Then we had steak and potatoes for dinner! And then went to an awesome worship service at the end of the day!! I hope we have another awesome day tomorrow!!!!

--Andrew Ayers

At morning worship.

We made it! Our first night in Montreat.

Our first day was not very eventful, but very pleasant! It started with a somewhat slow car ride that was full of dogs wandering, people asking to go to the bathroom ( mostly me), and Andrew playing some cool tunes on the melodiphone (probably spelled wrong). It ended with our arrival at our house, where immediately George made a dent in the drainage pipe with a frisbee ( don't ask how). This was followed by soccer and more frisbee. After a beautiful tour of the campus, we settled down at our house where we proceeded to play a dice game that I still fully don't understand the rules. ( and no parents, gambling was not involved). Over all, it was a good day!

- Clayton (Claydo) Spaulding