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2009-06-16 issue:

Junior youth raise 'seed money' for Convention 2010 scholarships

by Heidi Martin

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Over two hundred junior high students met for worship sessions, known as “Discovery Celebration,” or gathered for small group activities during Convention 2009.

The junior youth schedule began at 8 a.m. each morning and wrapped up by 9 p.m. Split into groups of eight with two leaders per group, there were a total of 25 groups.

Alexander Delgadillo of Iglesia Menonita del Buen Pastor, Goshen, Ind., reads Scripture during the junior high "Discovery Celebration" on July 3. Photo by Anna Groff.

“Separation [between junior youth and the adult and youth conventions] has been true in the past,” said Todd Lehman of Hesston, Kan. “Now the intent is to still provide a junior high convention, but for it to feel like it’s part of the whole, broader picture of convention.”

In earlier years, parents attending Mennonite conventions as delegates needed a place to go and a way to feel involved, said Lehman. But the junior youth convention has been growing in popularity as a convention in its own right; junior high youth groups are intentionally choosing to attend Mennonite convention because of the junior youth feature.

Lehman, along with three others, spent eighteen months planning the events of the junior youth convention.Their efforts did not go unnoticed; the days were packed with activity.

Throughout the week, junior high students participated in a scavenger hunt around the city of Columbus, attended the zoo and Zoombezi Bay Water Park and contributed to various service projects.

One such service project began long before the start of convention when each student received a $5 bill in the mail. This was referred to as “seed money” as the students were asked to invest the money so that it might grow just as a seed is planted in the ground and produces much fruit.

Students invested their money by buying gas to mow lawns, ingredients for a bake sale and tools for a car wash. The students grew the seed money from the original $1200 to $4368. The money was collected in an offering during Thursday morning’s Discovery Celebration and will be used as scholarships to aid people who will travel to Pittsburgh for the next Mennonite Church USA Convention in 2010.

The Discovery Celebrations reflected the format of the youth worship services with a band, speaker and time for small group interaction. Music was lead by The Ransom Project, a band from southeast Iowa at formed in 2002. John Brommels, Cincinnati, provided entertainment and sound messages through drama. Marty Troyer, pastor of Houston (Texas) Mennonite Church was the featured speaker with assistance from Samantha “Sam” Lioi.

 “After one and a half or more years of planning, one of the biggest highlights is just seeing students here and enjoying themselves and seeing groups form an identity as they get to know each other,” said Lehman.

Group leader, Carrie Nofziger, Archibald, Ohio was pleasantly surprised by daily interactions.

“It’s cool to see love and friendship grow amongst groups of middle schoolers who didn’t know each other the day before,” said Nofziger.

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