Saturday, June 10, 2017

Friday--Candlelight and Conversations

Today was bittersweet for the Spring Hill Presbyterian youth group. We began our day with the best energizers. In the midst of dancing, we all realized we really were on top of the world. The keynote speaker and evening worship preacher gave an inspiring message about taking initiative and being peace in the world. In our small groups, we wrote all our new friends affirmations and played fun games. Liam, Ruth, Virginia, Haley, and I adventured around Montreat and took cool pictures. Shoutout to Liam for being our photographer! After worship, the entire conference gathered around Lake Susan for the annual candle lighting service. When all the candles were lit, it was breathtakingly beautiful. First our back home leaders extinguished their candles. Then freshman, sophomores, and juniors did. Seniors were last. Everyone in our group put their hands on Alex and I. We blew out our candles and our time as a youth has come to an end. Since Alex and I are both going to South, we don't have to leave this awesome youth group. I love this group and I'm so thankful I was able to grow with them this week. I've attended this conference five times and this year was by far the best.

--Mary Hunter Davis



Thursday, June 8, 2017

Thursday....The Beginning of the End

Today we woke up and made our personalized pancakes. We then set off to keynote which was great. At morning small group we played pictionary and discussed the book of Judges and studied Deborah. We ate sandwiches and hotdogs for lunch. We then rested around the house until our afternoon small group. After small group Cindy and Anna went to yoga. We had over four friends from Bay Minette for dinner. We had tacos and cheesecake from Black Mountain. We then left for Worship which was great. After worship we attended the variety show where Ruth Harper played her mini guitar and did a wonderful job. After the great variety show we went home and had back home group and went straight to bed.

--George Phillips




Wednesday, June 7, 2017

Wonderful Wednesday!

Today was pretty intense if I do say so myself. We started out with some bomb energizers and we ended with a bomb sermon. Instead of going back to small group after lunch we had free time and so for the first 30 minutes of that I ate. For the next 30 minutes I ate some more and then after I was stuffed beyond compare, so I went to the swimming hole with former and soon to be members of the CWC (cold water club). The water had to be at least 50 and it was not "alright once you got used to it". After jumping in off of a rock the size of our Church van into maybe 4 feet of water a couple times grew more treacherous and I may or may have not jumped straight onto a rock at one point*. Then the newly inducted members of the CWC, Annie, Anna, and myself, headed back before we froze to death. That must have tired me out because after I showered then passed out and took a 3-4 hour nap, meaning I slept through dinner and the front porch concerts, but it's okay because they saved me some cheese fries. 

- (the girl screaming in the blue shirt) Haley 

Tuesday, June 6, 2017

Day 4: Tuesday!

Well today we started out extremely tired from staying up late the night before. So tired that waking up late and almost missing breakfast was a thing. Then we went to the energizers which had really made me tired and didn't exactly energize me. That's when keynote started which had made everyone in the room in their feels. Pretty much setting the feeling for the day in small group. Though the second time small group got together the mood lightened with a little more building of friendships. Me personally I've made at least ten friends already but several more acquantances. That's when I decided to venture under the dam and leave my mark even though it isn't something we were supposed to do which I later figured out when I was scott free. There was a beaver under the dam, which was amazing. Dinner was great where we invited one of the staff to join us. Then we had worship which I thoroughly enjoyed tonight. All together it was a great day with its lows and it's ups. Sorta like any other day though this one was much closer to God than I usually live during my daily routine back home. This whole week is an eye opener towards my own religion and opening up more of myself than I ever intended to be. End.

Alex Hamilton

The beaver under the dam!

Hammock fun on our porch!


Fun times in keynote and worship!


Monday, June 5, 2017

Day 3: Not a Typical Case of the Mondays

Today we woke up to a gourmet breakfast by our amazing cooks. After we made our way to keynote where we heard the theme of scripture for the day. Our speaker talked about the difference between the peace of the world and God's peace. Then we went to our first small group and met people from different churches. In small group we discussed peace and what it means to us. After small group we went back to the house where we ate lunch with the music leaders Steve and Jerry. After lunch we went back to our small group and talked about different peacemakers in our society. Then we returned to the house and rested for our night activities. For dinner we had spaghetti! Tonight we began with worship and then played trivia. It's been a fun day filled with new friends and good food.

--Virginia Phillips


Sunday, June 4, 2017

Day 2: Sunday, The First Day of the Conference

We started with worship today at Anderson Auditorium. Instead of preaching on Acts, the preacher preached an Old Testament text.


Before worship this morning.

Then we went rock hopping. When we were done, Haley, Ruth and Virginia got lost. Their phones and google maps did not help....luckily they found their way home! It rained for a few minutes, but it didn't get humid. Anna, George and Andrew went hiking. At the end of the day, we had opening celebration. We did energizers, sang, and listened to people. Then we went back to the house.

--Liam Harper

Rock hopping!


Swimming during our rock hopping excursion!


Playground fun!

George, Andrew, and Anna made it to the top of Lookout!


Before Opening Program tonight!

Saturday, June 3, 2017

Day #1 (A Long-Expected Journey)


Montreat... a place of solidarity and fellowship, a place of earnest contemplation and playful comradery. Yet, something is missing from these sacred grounds. A light that has always been with us at this conference. Bryan Kimbrough Ayers is absent from our excursions here at Montreat. This ails the group as much as it ails me. Yet somehow I think we will overcome this obstacle that seems to creep into every aspect of our daily lives. We left today at 7:00 a.m. and we got to Montreat at 6:10 p.m.  We grabbed pizza and came to the house. We went for a walk and came home to home group. Then I wrote this blog post. 


Signed, 

Andrew W. Ayers 

Singing and riding in the van to Montreat!

Flat Jesus made the trip with us to Montreat!


Flat Jesus, Virginia, and Haley and Lake Susan!

Flat Jesus at our house, Ransford's Roost!


George on the road with flat Jesus!