By: Rev. Erica Koser

The weekend of Nov. 3-5, 2017, over 320 middle school youth and their leaders gathered at Cragun’s Resort in Brainerd for the statewide Jr. High Event.
The theme this year was Named and Claimed. Pastor Rachael Warner spoke about how we are children of God and the ways God has made each of us unique. Boiling Point band offered music at all of the large group gatherings and even went acoustic for the communion service on Saturday night.
Through a variety of afternoon sessions on Saturday including art, games, and role playing youth explored what it means to be a named and claimed child of God and how they are called to live out that call in everyday life. Saturday night’s communion service offered youth a chance to remember their baptism and celebrate being the body of Christ through communion and creating a mural. The weekend provided many opportunities for youth to grow in faith and fellowship with friends from all over the Minnesota Annual Conference.


 
Rev. Erica Koser is the chair of the Minnesota Annual Conference’s youth ministry team and the associate pastor at Centenary UMC in Mankato.