St. Marys United Methodist Youth

Here is a FAQ for our upcoming retreat.  For in-depth information about the retreat itself, please visit the November Celebration website.

Here is the suggested packing list.

When will we leave?

Please be at the church by 4:00pm on Friday, November 20th. We will pack the vans and leave ASAP so that we can register, eat supper, and settle into our cabins before the first events begin. If you would like to bring your bags and stuff to the church early on Friday, we can arrange that.

When will we come back?

We will return between 1:00 and 1:30pm on Sunday, November 22nd. The retreat closes with a giant worship service!

What are the cabins like?

We will be staying in the Epworth cabins. These are comfortable and loads of fun!   You will room with guys if you are a guy and girls if you are a girl and you will be with our church and possibly another church. The cabins sleep about 10-12 and the adults have the opportunity to stay in the counselor room in the cabin (but who doesn’t like a bunk bed in the middle of smelly teenagers!). There are 4 showers in each cabin.

What is the food like?

Awesome!

What is quiet time?

You will see time each day for “quiet time.” This is a daily, personal devotion time. Often we are given devotional guides. Basically, this is a way to start our day by being one-on-one with God. There is nothing like a quiet time overlooking the marsh or the river or even in the prayer chapel!

What is church time?

Church time is when we get together with our church after each session of the retreat to talk about the session and incorporate it into our lives.

Who is our special musical guest?

Heath McNease is the antithesis of what you might expect when you think about hip-hop. He is so far removed from the exploits of the rap game that some may think his inclusion in hip-hop is oxymoronic. Heath mixes in elements of boom bap, dirty south, blues, jazz, reggae, rock, and even a bit of gospel music to his sound. “I’m such a fan of music. There is no way I could ever box myself in.”

Epworth Superstar: The Talent Show: DON’T FORGET ABOUT THE TALENT SHOW!

If you have a talent you would like to share, this is a blast

Adult Volunteers/Chaperons

The adults that will be going on our trip are:

Jim Morrow

Melissa Deen

Later this week I will send out cell phone contact information for these volunteers in case you have an emergency while we are away.

Additional Guidelines

Cell Phones: We are on retreat! Cell phone use (including texting) needs to be limited to free time or before lights out. If you have an emergency and need to contact your youngin’ at other times please use the chaperon contact list that will be sent out later this week. However if during this time the electronic devices are preventing anyone from taking part in the social activities, I will reserve the right to temporarily “borrow” your toy! Any chaperons that have cell phones are asked to model this for our students except in the case of emergencies.

Electronic Devices (including music players): Again, we are on retreat! The use of electronic devices needs to be limited to free time or the time immediately before lights out. However if during this time the electronic devices are preventing anyone from taking part in the social activities, I will reserve the right to temporarily “borrow” your toy!

Please take a good look at the packing list. Remember your BIBLES!!!!

If you have any questions or concerns, please let me know. Similarly, if there is any confusion about these communications, please let me know, too.