Youth Heritage Celebration – “Lest We Forget” – Report by Bob Holbrook
How does one pack in the story of an entire weekend into one short report without it being just a listing of all the events and all the guest speakers and all the great music and all the fun enlightening seminars and all the great camaraderie and all the….well you get the picture.
This past October 18-20 the Adventist Youth Ministries Museum (AYMM) held a unique event in Battle Creek, MI at both the Historic Adventist Village (HAV) and the famous Battle Creek Tabernacle. Two past World Pathfinder Directors were present along with a number of other perhaps more “illustrious” persons, some now retired, some in function of their responsibilities, but we’ll get to that shortly.
AYMM set up a condensed display of Youth Ministry History in the HAV red barn which became the focal gathering point for most attendees. Thursday night kick-started the event with a rousing presentation by Vandeon Griffin, the NAD Associate Youth Director who introduced the event’s theme “Lest We Forget”. Music was led by the Southern Union Youth Director, Ken Rogers and pianist – Buddy Houghtaling – of the Battle Creek Tabernacle and each meeting we enjoyed singing the theme song – “We Are His Hands” by Jeff Wood.
Friday was a full day of events beginning with the early morning devotional led by Armando Miranda, NAD Assoc. Youth Director followed with 7 simultaneous seminars being held in various buildings of the HAV. You who really missed a treat, here are the topics (sorry there’s not enough space to give a complete synopsis of each one, that’s for those who braved the trip and enjoyed). Spiritual Roots presented by Mark Sorenson, Sabbath School Heritage by Gary Swanson, Tour of the Italian Reformation—Waldensians by Cindy Tutch, Giving Bible Studies to Teens by Craig Harris, Historian Ministry by Dixie Plata, History of the Black Adventist Church by Dana Edward, and Heritage of Adventist Camping by Bill Wood. Friday afternoon was reserved for visits to the Battle Creek Sanitarium – Federal Building, the Battle Creek – Oak Hill Cemetery, and tours of the HAV. Friday finally came to a close with Merlin Burt of the Andrews University White Estate as guest speaker and beautiful music coming from the Battle Creek Academy Concert band and Brass Quintet led by Ms Olga Bonetta.
BC Band taken by Arnold Plata
Sabbath dawned chilly and drizzling but hearts were warm and excited as all gathered in the Tabernacle for Sabbath School and Divine Service. During the Sabbath School hour, newly elected General Conference Assoc. Youth Director, Andres Peralta gave a report on our church’s youth ministry today followed by Gary Swanson’s presentation of the lesson study (he is recently retired from the General Conference Sabbath School Department). Music for both morning services was provided by the Great Lakes Adventist Academy musicians under the leadership of David Ballesteros. It was really amazing how beautiful the performances were by both schools this weekend considering how recently the school year had begun. The Divine Service message was presented by Dan Matthews, retired Faith for Today director/speaker. Must I say? The opening hymn was “Lift Up the Trumpet”, bringing back memories to many of the days when H.M.S. Richards and the Voice of Prophesy quartet used to resound in many homes across America on Sunday mornings. In the afternoon, there were again tours to all the historically important places of Battle Creek, and the AYMM museum was again open in, the Red Barn, which for the weekend also included a new display of over 150 Bibles in many versions and languages from around the world. This collection will become a permanent part of the AYMM.
BC Red Barn 6886
Though out the weekend young people presented four short skits entitled: “Were it all Began”, “The Voice of Youth”, “Tell It to the World”, and “Jesus Is the Center”.
The wrap-up of the event took place Sabbath evening with Cindy Tutch challenging attendees with Ellen White’s Empowerment of Youth followed by Leo Ranzolin, AYMM Board Chairman, and Terry Dodge, President and CEO of AYMM, presenting the current status of the Museum development and what the future is holding.
So there you have it, condensed into just a few short paragraphs, a first event among firsts, a brief listing of who and what, all the real fun, enrichment, fellowship…well if you weren’t one of the hundred plus there, then this is all you get, simply because the rest could only be gotten being there and getting excited about all going on. Sorry about that, the rest of you really missed out this time…but there will be an opportunity for you to redeem yourselves, there will be more of these events in the future! See y’all there!!
