ELLINGTON — Area teenagers and young adults who need to prepare themselves for the new school year have a chance to “Recharge and Rise Up” at a free youth rally at Logan Valley Christian Retreat in Ellington.
The day of fellowship and festivities starts at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 18.
There will be numerous activities, food, music and words of motivation.
“It will be a big day,” said David Williams, director of the retreat. Williams and his wife, Sue, moved from St. Louis in 1987 and started a cow and pig farm outside Ellington. They felt called to retreat ministry and the farm became Logan Valley Christian Retreat. The retreat grew into a facility with a capacity of 190 people and has served the religious community for over thirty years.
The afternoon will start with the attendees getting the opportunity to take a ride on a zip line. Also available will be games, such as badminton, basketball, volleyball and GaGa ball. Four inflatable activity centers will also be available.
A rope course will be set up as well. The course’s low-level obstacles are designed to encourage group bonding and teach spiritual principles. In the latter part of the afternoon, the retreat will put up its over 200-foot-long water slide.
Speaker Jeremy Bedell of Guts Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, will be presenting words of motivation. The youth organization of Recharge and Rise Up heard of his work in the Van Buren area. They were impressed by his passion for youth ministry work and his acceptance by the youths in that area. The mission of the Guts church ministries is to help people win and Bedell intends to do that with his lesson of “You’re hand picked by God and built to overcome and win in life!”
Stars Go Dim will be present to provide inspirational music as part of the Grace in the Wilderness release tour. Special guest Dan Bremnes will appear on stage as well. His appearance is part of a concert series with Stars Go Dim that will take the performers from Missouri to Texas, Oklahoma, Nebraska and Tennessee.
Believers Chapel Church is sponsoring the event.
“But all are welcome,” said Sarah Warren. She and her sister, Leslie Baker, are responsible for fundraising for the event. She wants youths of the surrounding area “to come together as one church of believers.”
Believers Chapel will also be barbecuing for the attendees. Church volunteers will be grilling hamburgers and hotdogs.
Anyone with questions or needing more information about the event can send an email to believerschapelchurch@gmail.com or call or text Leslie Baker at 573-823-1398 or Warren at 573-604-2113.