Leaders Attend Busy Children and Youth Leaders Convention

Over 135 children, youth and young adult ministry leaders attended Chesapeake Conference’s 2022 Children and Youth Leaders Convention from Sept. 9-11 at the Mt. Aetna Retreat Center in Hagerstown, Md.

The three-day convention featured 43 presentations along seven certification tracks, including Adventurers, Pathfinders and young adults. The weekend also featured several general sessions where keynote speaker Elijah Ramjattan, Highland View Academy chaplain, spoke on the theme “Bring Them to Jesus.”

Conference leaders said the multi-track approach is one of the convention’s greatest strengths because it allows local church leaders to engage with peers working in the same areas of youth ministry. 

“People realize, ‘OK, so my ministry is not the only thing that’s happening; I’m part of a bigger network and a bigger system,’” said Carl Rodriguez, Chesapeake Conference youth director. 

Ministry leaders who attended the event reported that they enjoyed the variety of classes offered and looked forward to applying what they learned to their local church contexts.