CYC 08
Jackie and I left for Gatlinburg on Wednesday February 20. As always we attended Bible study at the Smokey Mountain Church of Christ in Pigeon Forge. Without doubt this is my favorite (away from home) congregation. I always feel at home with these brethren.
Thursday we didn’t do much except wait on the other guys to get there. Thursday at 6 we all (planning board, executive board, sound crew, MC and several others met at the Apple Barn for a god meal.
Friday morning we ate breakfast at 7 AM and then went to work. I got back to the hotel around 11 PM tired, knees and back hurting but knew it was a good day. The Conference had started with many Christians coming in with smiles a mile long. It is so enjoyable to see the same faces each year and a double blessing to see and met new Christians.
Saturday was another good day. Although I heard only one lesson I have been told that they were all (super) good. When we counted the numbers that had come by to get their bags we come up with 5,561. There were more there than that but that was a good number.
I enjoy so much seeing many old friends and hearing about good things they are doing in the Lord’s service. The new friends (brethren) had great things to share about their serving also. There are many wonderful things God is doing in and through His church.
Sunday is always the pinnacle for me at CYC. I love to worship with a large crowd. I love the excitement of the faces, voices and the praise that we raise toward heaven.
Sunday evening Jackie and I always attend worship at the Smokey Mountain Church of Christ. As much as I enjoy Wednesday Bible study with these brethren and the many visitors I love Sunday evening worship with these brethren even more. AL Behel (from Lauderdale County) always has a good simple uplifting message from God’s word.
This Sunday evening was especially grand. Jackie and I met two new friends. Their names are Allen and Clara Patton. They are from Eldredge, AL. We met and talked briefly at worship and decided to go eat supper together. Jackie and I enjoyed talking with them tremendously. We spent about two hours just talking. For me this was the high light of our weekend; meeting two new friends. We have planned to met again next year at worship then spend time together. God is good!
There were as always disappointments. We did some things at CYC that we wish we could take back. There were some sorely disappointed and left before the conference was over. There were those who did not behave as they should have and that is certainly disappointing. Many brethren talked about being on a spiritual high but yet did not make any effort at all to attend worship on Sunday evening.
All in all it was a good weekend and a good Challenge Youth Conference. There were many restored and many immersed into Christ.
God gets all the glory and all the praise.
Get Directions
March 3rd, 2008 at 12:00 pm
I’m so excited to here that that many people were at CYC. God IS doing some awesome ministry through that great event. I’m sorry that there were disappointments. I’m sure that dealing with that many people makes it easier for that kind of thing to happen.
Thanks brother for your love for God and desire to be committed to Him. I pray that whatever the problems that CYC will continue serving Christ in the way you are. God through you is getting the opportunity change people’s lives. Praise be to Him. Don’t ever give up!! Love ya bro.
March 21st, 2008 at 11:54 pm
March has been a good month for Eastwood. Many people are getting involved in the works that are going on. There seems to be a renewal of hope and faith at Eastwood. The younger people are stepping up. You challenged us to try new things and many of us have done that. I think sometimes we get bogged down in our everyday lives we forget what our purpose is while on this earth. In recent months we have seen many of our older members leave this earth. And they did many great works. It is so good to see many of our members that didn’t get involved before are now getting involved and seem to be really enjoying it. We just have to keep on trying to spread the word to East Florence and beyond. Let’s keep the fire going for the Lord and for Eastwood.
June 15th, 2008 at 5:03 pm
CYC IS AMAZING…..IF YOU WANT TO SEE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WORSHIP OUR LORD AND ALSO WORSHIP YOURSELF CYC IS A GREAT PLACE TO DO THIS. CYC MAY JUST BE FOR ONE WEEKEND BUT ITS A LIFE CHANGING WEEKEND.IT MAKES YOU APPRECIATE GOING TO CHURCH EVEN MORE.IT MAKES YOU THANKFUL FOR WHAT YOU HAVE AND HOW BLESSED WE ARE. WHEN YOU GO TO CYC IT SEEMS LIKE ALL OF YOUR CARES IN THE WORLD GO AWAY AND YOU ARE SURROUNDED BY THOUSANDS OF CHRISTIANS WORSHIPING THE SAME GOD YOU DO AND THIS IS JUST A WOONDERFUL FEELING. CYC IS A WONDERFUL CHRISTIAN EVENT TO GO TO.