2008 Summer Retreat / Students' Time of Refreshing and Joy in Summer
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August 31, 2008 |
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 "The 2008 Summer Retreat," a time of refreshing and joy during summer months for Students' Sunday School (Pastor Sung-Sook Lee, Principal), took place at the Boramwon Retreat Center in Goesan County, North Chungcheong Province, July 28-31, 2008, under the theme "Space."
Kicked off with "The Opening Service," the Retreat progressed with a variety of activities and programs including dance competitions, Pilgrim's Progress Program, "Unity Athletic Competition," a campfire, and many others. The students clung to the Word of God they heard, prayed in earnest with their friends, and desired to be born again by the strength of God.
As they experienced firsthand the spiritual space through extraordinary shapes of clouds, the panorama of the brilliant light that resembled lightning amidst clouds, massive two-fold rainbows, and movements of the stars, the students' hearts became more intensified with a hope for heaven.
"The Volunteer Service Team" that assisted with the proceedings of the programs and in the cafeteria and "The Discipline Team" in charge of providing leadership and guidance to the students' guidance especially attracted the attention of many participants and teachers alike.
 Grand Prize, Manmin Students' Praise Festival
At "The 15th Manmin Students' Praise Festival," the 13 teams that had made through the preliminary rounds competed.
The Retreat, participated by students from branch churches around Korea and from overseas, provided each of the participants with an opportunity to rise up spiritually, establish a proper idea befitting students of faith, and nurturing a dream and vision for God's kingdom.
Service & Joy
"It was exhausting to go to bed later and wake up earlier than my friends but it was very worthwhile to serve others as I remembered God's love for me."
~ Gun-Wie Park (third year in middle school), Volunteer Service Team
"I was very glad to see each team member serve one another, guide and lead other students, learn to be patient, and fathom spiritual love."
~ Li-Ra Jung (senior in high school), Discipline Team
After the Retreat...
"By the Word and prayer, my heart has been renewed."
~ Shi-Eun Kwon (16, U.S.)
I pray and worship every day with the Global Christian Network (GCN) in New York City. I had fasted for 3 days prior to the Retreat and my younger sister Ji-Eun (15) fasted for 33 days in the morning.
When the teacher prayed for us, I remembered the wrongs I had done against my family and repented of them. When I held my friends' hands in prayer, the fire of the Holy Spirit was with me and I felt my body heat up. I am so glad to have made many friends who devote themselves to prayer.
My sister said that she felt as though God embraced her tightly when she listened to the Word and repented in prayer, and vowed to become more diligent and faithful in her life in Christ.
"Through Pilgrim's Progress Program, I've realized how difficult it is to be donning a body bound to untruths."
~ Mi-Soon Im (19, Daejeon)
I was blissful when all of us came together in passionate praising. As the speaker used real-life examples at school and in everyday life to illustrate God's will for us, I learned and fathomed a great deal.
During the Pilgrim's Progress Program, I pulled over myself a sack on which the words "Jealousy, Envy, and Pride" were written, and it was unbelievably hot and stuffy inside. At that moment, I realized how difficult it was to don a body bound to untruths and vowed to quickly throw away sin and evil.
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