Campus Ministries hosts leadership retreat

Union’s campus became a hubbub of activity last Wednesday afternoon as cars and buses filled the visitor parking lot, students and staff transported equipment and worship leaders tuned their guitars. This was all in preparation for Campus Ministries’ (CM) all new leadership retreat, Empower Weekend.

The event started Wednesday night with worship and a keynote address from Rome Ulia, a pastor from Auburn Adventist Academy Church in Auburn, Wash. Ulia spoke from his personal story of coming to Jesus as he encouraged attendees to think and grow deeply during the weekend.

The rest of the workshop included a variety of speakers covering everything from worship leading and programming to leadership and communication skills. Kyle Smith, pastor at Commons at New Haven SDA Church in Overland Park, Kansas., covered programming Wednesday night in one of three breakout sessions. The other breakout sessions included one on small groups, presented by Simon Liversidge, lead pastor at College View Church in Lincoln, Nebraska; and another on “The Heart of Worship” by Brooke and Ricky Melendez, pastors of The Adventure SDA Church in Greeley, Colorado.

Thursday’s sessions continued the previous workshop topics but added some new ones. Brandon Westgate, youth director at the Rocky Mountain Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, presented on leadership. Sam Dinzey and Robert Leslie Jr. shared on music directing. Liz Macdonald lectured on empowering a new generation while JJ Martinez presented ways to be resilient in leadership.

Friday’s list of presenters also included Kianna Frishman, a senior social work student, and Mike Waworuntu, a junior theology student. They presented on building worship teams. Audrey McGraw also presented on congregational leadership.

The weekend is the first one of its kind that CM has hosted, and with the North American Division (NAD) leadership retreat happening at the same time, it gave visiting academy students the option to attend along with CM staff and other Union students. CM hopes that students will have encountered Jesus through the various worship services, workshops and presentations. They encourage students with questions, comments or feedback to direct it to their office.

By Charles Metz