RCS Secondary Retreat Recap!

RCS Secondary Retreat Recap!

 
Last week our secondary students joined forces to start off the school year with focus and devotion. Both Junior High and High School students combined on a journey to central Oregon, to Young Life’s Washington Family Ranch. The gorgeous facilities there are nestled along a riverbed which cuts through canyons carved from seemingly ancient mountains. The wild remoteness of the camp serves to heighten the solitude and quiet of the space and readies our students for an encounter with God.

This year’s speaker, James Lounsberry, is the youth pastor at West Valley Church here in Yakima. Taking the theme Reboot, Rekindle, Restored! (Colossians 3:5-17) from the student leadership team, he deepened our understanding of God’s call to come away from the things which keep us from a full, fruitful life with Jesus Christ. The call from God is to rebuild a desire for His presence in our lives, to live knowing He loves us and is trustworthy. Pastor Lounsberry spoke from his own experience about God’s faithful direction for him after high school, and his call to pastoral ministry. Our students were assured that God will faithfully direct and sustain them through the decisions they also must make, some of them very soon!
 
We also enjoyed swimming in an olympic-sized pool, leaping from the high-dive, driving go-carts, the thrill of riding a zip-line ride into a sparkling lake. Students bounced on water trampolines and explored a world-class gym, as well. Plenty of ice cream, soda fountain drinks, and espresso was available during free time and to describe all the delicious meals, prepared by the Young Life staff and served by our faithful parent, sibling, and grandparent volunteers would take far much space! Decisions to follow Christ were made and renewed, our younger students made deeper friendships with older students, and teachers found time to relax and get to know the awesome young adults God has gathered here at Riverside. I’d call that a successful way to start a new school year!
 
-Written by RCHS English and Bible Teacher Mrs. Stoothoff
 
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