The Presbytery of the Alleghenies (POA) hosted their annual fall retreat Dec. 3–5 in Franklin, Pa. Coming near the end of both a calendar year and the fall school semester, it was a wonderful time to refocus our priorities and be reinvigorated by fellowship with other young people who were enthusiastic about studying and worshiping God.

We enjoyed participating in many activities organized by the leadership team, including various tournaments, sports, organized games, and a cooking competition set up similar to the TV show Chopped. We also had times of prayer and praise both mornings, heard testimonies both evenings, and lifted up our voices together in a psalm sing before our worship service on Sunday.

Talks

The speaker was Pastor Ian Wise from Southside (Indianapolis, Ind.) RPC, and in four talks he gave us an overview of the book of Revelation. He exhorted us not to be put off by the poetic symbols and pictures that characterize the book, but instead to be encouraged by the main messages of the book—that Christ is still with us, bringing us through and remaining sovereign over all persecution and hardship we may face in this life; and that we will one day be with Christ in glory, enjoying the unity, purity, and security of the city of God.

Prior to the retreat, we were encouraged to memorize Revelation 21:1–8, a key passage for the weekend. It is a beautiful prophecy about the new heaven and earth, where God is “making all things new” (v. 5).

Reading those verses in their larger context makes the promises even sweeter. I was uplifted when I realized that Revelation is not only about future events, future blessings, and future glory, it is also about right now. In fact, the first four chapters are all about real churches and the struggles, sins, and persecutions they faced. It is encouraging to remember that we are not alone in this life—Christ is walking among us (Rev. 1:13, 20).

Personal Reflections

One of my favorite parts of a retreat has always been the group discussions after every talk. The counselors urge us to take the messages to heart and to share our thoughts and impressions.

One topic that was brought up several times was the responsibility that comes from being raised in the church. Scripture is full of covenants God made with His people, and those covenants are promised “for you and for your children” (Acts 2:39). All of us who are growing up in Christian families are part of the covenant people. But we all agreed that, too often, we aren’t as grateful for this as we should be.

I was convicted by the reminder that this blessing comes with a responsibility to take the faith of our parents and make it our own. We are so blessed by fellowship with other young people and the wisdom from pastors and counselors so that we can continue to grow in our faith.

I would encourage every young person to attend retreats like POA’s fall retreat if they have the opportunity. The atmosphere of that weekend fosters deep thoughts and discussions, and I always walk away energized and eager to infuse what I have learned into my everyday life.