Generation Gap Closes

At All-Conference Worship

by Angela Soucy

As one of the three of the Heritage of Pilgrim Endeavor (HOPE) officers of the 2001 Conference I can tell you that the All-Conference Worship Service was a top priority in our planning, and one of the highlights of the Conference for us. We took the planning very seriously and prayerfully. We wanted to worship together in a way that had the adults of the NACCC, the adults of the HOPE group, and the high school National Association of Pilgrim Fellowship (NAPF) group all in mind. Not only that but we wanted to worship as a unified whole.

Gregg Swope (the Rev.) told the All-Conference Worship Service that revitalization starts with each one of us.

From the ten different worship songs to the “Lord’s Prayer” solo by Jonathon Archie, to the moving message from the Rev. Gregg Swope it was a wonderful service.

Gregg Swope addressed how revitalization starts with each individual, and the awareness of the continual need for Jesus Christ. And as we are filled, and are led by the Holy Spirit, God’s vitality, and blessings will be poured out upon us.

Previous to the service the three groups (adults, NAPF, HOPE) had joined each other for dinner and a chance to get to know one another. I can say personally that God planned a divine meeting at my dinner table. Amanda Collis (then HOPE President) and I were seated next to an amazing couple from the NACCC Meeting. In the short time that we met with Harlan and Debrah Nuss, we shared our passion for God’s spirit to further ignite the NACCC. They then prayed over me before my prayer at the worship service. And two hours after I had met them we were embracing, sharing how it felt that we had known each other our whole lives. And as Debrah smiled and said, “I love you,” I thought, “God, this true unity, and love is what only you can give, and how amazing that it is accessible to all of us, all of the time.”

Saxophonist Roy Backus, who is also the minister of Olivet Congregational Church, Olivet, Michigan, jammed across the generation gap at the All-Conference Worship Service.

Many HOPE’rs with whom I spoke came away from that service uplifted and encouraged, as many have been seeking out the same revitalization. We were so excited to be involved in discussions about bringing more people our age into our home churches, as well as how we can become more connected and involved. A few people from the NACCC Meeting came over and joined one of the HOPE sessions and worshipped with us. After the sessions we would discuss how to be a part of the solution in coming together and sharing our strengths and gifts.

As many share a desire for the revitalization of our churches, let us go back to the basics. The simple truths are often the most fleeting. As we seek to “Transform in Christ, and Unify in Spirit” as the NACCC’s theme so greatly put it, may we remember that the greatest glory we can give to God is to distrust our own strength utterly, and to commit ourselves wholly to His safekeeping. May we also seek out the Living Christ in each person we meet, and watch how He reveals Himself, as we are each one part of one Body, of one Spirit, with one Hope that unites us all: one blood shed for the world, with one God, and one Faith to which we are called. We have so much to share. Let’s start there.

HOPE Secretary Angela Soucy is the former editor of Ananias, the HOPE newsletter.

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