By Pastor David Hobbs, LDM Camping & Christian Formation
Over 200 youth and staff celebrated worship at Iowa UMC’s Wesley Woods Camp and Retreat Center with a surprise speaker at the weekly ‘Resurrection’ Worship Service.
On Friday, June 26 at Wesley Wood’s beautiful outdoor worship area, Bishop Trimble and Wesley Wood’s Site Director, Deke Rider helped lead the celebration worship that ends all of the Wesley Wood’s week-long camps.
It was a powerful testimony of the Holy Spirit as there were many upbeat contemporary camp songs and music played along with plenty of time for fellowship and prayer. Bishop Trimble's message of hope shared how God is working in and through each of these young people’s lives and that God has plans for them and has called them each to a special relationship with God’s son Jesus Christ.
He emphasized that God will continue to work through them, no matter what their future journey will be in life, whether it’s being a doctor, teacher, or pastor; but the main thing to remember is that God loves them and will be there, no matter what.
At the closing of the service each person’s prayer concerns were placed on the wooden cross and then a special prayer was made asking for God’s grace and guidance to be with each concern and that joy be placed upon that cross.
Before the service closed with a benediction by the Bishop, he asked anyone who was thinking about ministry as a calling in their life, to please come down to the altar area near the cross, so he could personally pray for each of them. Many youth came forward to share in a time of prayer and conversation with Bishop Trimble during that invitation to come forward.
This powerful day at Camp really was a special time for both the youth and the Bishop, and one that neither will soon forget.
