CHIC Youth Conference in Knoxville

Times Reporter

 

Students from Strathmore are gearing up for a trip of a lifetime in their high school year.

Members from Hope Community Covenant Church’s youth group are continuing in the process of raising funds for a trip to Knoxville, Tennessee from July 15-20. Corinne Stoter, Interim Youth Pastor at Hope Church says there are presently “eight girls and seven guys registered, plus two leaders.  We’ll be leaving Strathmore on July 13, and driving (40+ hours each way) to Knoxville, TN., and we’ll return July 21.” 

Stoter has attended CHIC twice as a leader, and can attest to the fact that this event will be a life-changing opportunity for the students.  “To join with thousands of other teens from across North America and around the world, who are also seeking to live as followers of Jesus, is an experience that has proven to be powerful and encouraging in a defining time of their lives.  Students come home changed, and continue to talk about the experience and what they learned even years later,” says Stoter.  She is excited to have the opportunity to travel with students again, and walk alongside them through this experience. They took part in a highway clean-up recently as part of their fundraising but also a s a community betterment opportunity.

Rachel Wegner, a Grade 12 student from Strathmore High school, is looking forward to this “once in a lifetime event.” 

“I am looking forward to the different activities, worship, band performances and special speakers in the week long event,” says Wegner.

The CHIC conference is open to high school students completing Grades 9 through 12 by September of 2012.

”It is a triennial event with a humble, yet rich, history beginning in 1956 when hundreds of high school age Covenanters gathered together as the Covenant High Congress,” according to the website. 

The event has quickly expanded to a much larger group gathering together, to engage in small group Bible study and devotion, large group gatherings with speakers and music, and outdoor recreation – on a larger scale.

This legacy has been carried on to become what is now “Covenant High in Christ,” best recognized as “CHIC” by the thousands who attend and tens of thousands who have attended, and continue to support this ministry.

The purpose of CHIC is to be a catalyst that inspires Christ-like change; challenging students to see themselves as part of something bigger and inspiring students on the journey of following Christ. 

Through the years CHIC has been modified and diversified, innovated and revolutionized; however, a few key elements remain, the CHIC legacy is one of continued gathering for small group Bible study and devotion, large group gatherings with speakers and music, and outdoor recreation. Praise be to God, faithful throughout the ages.

If you would like to contribute to the fundraising events, bottles and cans are being accepted every Sunday at the Hope Community Covenant church in Strathmore. For more information about CHIC please contact Corinne Stoter, Interim Youth Pastor at Hope Community Covenant Church at (403) 934-2424.