FMYC 2014 participants join in worship. (Photo by Jeff Finley)
Nearly 800 young Free Methodists gathered July 5 in the darkened auditorium of the Lincoln Center in Fort Collins, Colorado.
Free Methodist Youth Conference main stage speaker Phil Manginelli appeared with a single lightbulb and reflected on the light that brought the teens to the Colorado State University campus.
“Jesus is the one true, great and glorious light,” Manginelli said. “There’s only one thing that’s more significant than the darkness, and it’s the light.”
Eugene Parker, a Chicago actor who has worked with Free Methodist ministries in Illinois and Washington, shared a couple of dramatic readings — one of which contained the refrain: “Through it all, the light would still shine.”
The message connected with the teens (and the adults who came with them).
Diana Lindensmith — an adult accompanying teens from New Hope Christian Fellowship in Chino, California — said she could relate to Manginelli’s discussion of God bringing each person to FMYC 2014 for a reason.
“I didn’t know I was coming until 12 days ago,” Lindensmith said. “When he said, ‘You might not know why you’re here,’ that was amazing for me, because now I know why I’m here.”
Alec Cross, a member of the Portage (Michigan) FMC youth group, said he appreciated the “reminder that Jesus is light. He’s the light of our lives, and no matter what we’ve done and no matter what we’re going through, He’s going to be the light always.”
Cross said he also appreciated the worship music led by Everfound. The band of Russian-born Colorado brothers joined the focus on Jesus lighting the world.
Everfound lead singer Nikita Odnoralov encouraged FMYC participants to surrender to Jesus’ light.
“We can’t truly worship our God unless we surrender,” Odnoralov said.
Too much happened at FMYC to cover in one article. Look for future coverage in LLM and, in the meantime, go to fmcusa.org/news for more FMYC news.
NEWS BRIEFS:
DR. CROPSEY HONORED
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
The inaugural 2014 recipient of the American Academy of Ophthalmology’s Artemis Award is Dr. John M. Cropsey, who was nominated by the Wills Eye Institute in Philadelphia. Cropsey did his residency at Wills but now serves at Kibuye Hope Hospital and Hope Africa University in Burundi. Visit fmchr.ch/cropseymd to learn more about the award.
DPAS OPENS COUNSELING CENTER
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Deaconess Pregnancy & Adoption Services (DPAS) recently announced the opening of a new counseling center where a team of specialists will help children with traumatic histories heal. Although DPAS provides ongoing, post-adoption services, not every adoption provider offers this kind of support. Go to fmchr.ch/dpascenter for more details.
BASTIAN WINS BOOK AWARD
Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
Free Methodist Church Bishop Emeritus Donald N. Bastian’s most recent book, “The Pastor’s First Love: And Other Essays on a High and Holy Calling,” received a Word Guild award June 11 in the Christian instruction category. Go to fmchr.ch/dnbastian for details and to fmchr.ch/awardsurprise for Bastian’s reflections on winning the award.
FM CAMPUSES RECOGNIZED
Seattle, Washington
Several Free Methodist colleges and universities are included in Christian Universities Online’s list of “The 50 Most Beautiful Christian College & University Campuses in the World”: Spring Arbor University (No. 44), Azusa Pacific University (No. 43), Roberts Wesleyan College (No. 38), Greenville College (No. 24) and Seattle Pacific University (No. 17). Visit fmchr.ch/fmbeautiful for the complete list.
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