Today I'm in Branson, MO, after having experienced the unchanging love of God at Steubenville St. Louis Mid-America [stlyouth.org] in Springfield, MO. It's great to have a few days to breathe after working on Kenrick-Glennon Days, Christpower, and now the Steubenville Youth Conference. You can view some of my pictures from the conference (held at Southwest Missouri State University) here.
This year will be the first that the OYM and Steubenville will be holding two weekends of conferences in St. Louis; I have been told that the 'St. Louis Mid-America' conference is the first nationwide (besides the one held in Steubenville, OH) to incorporate two weekends because of the number of participants! For a teen in high school, this conference is a very uplifiting and spiritually enriching event!
This past weekend, I helped with the production crew, mostly using the video camera to record the events and for display during the events. There is so much work that goes into preparing and running the Steubenville conference (not only the technical things, but also registration, meals, organization, liturgy, etc.), that I am amazed at how efficiently and smoothly it all happens. Even though I've been to two of these conferences now, I am looking forward excitedly to my third next weekend—and I'm not even one of the 'participants!'
Please pray that all those participants who were at the conference this past weekend, that they may arrive home safely, and that they may take the strong faith and spiritual growth they have gained with them. Also, please pray that all those coming to next week's Steubenville conference may arrive safely, and be open to God's calling!
[UPDATE:] Matthew Baute has posted pictures from Steubenville as well.