Becky Spell Vann has a heart for mission work, and through this year’s Rise Up conference she hopes to share that love with the community.
In the past, the Rise Up conference has offered the community a chance to restore their faith, and encourage others to help restore the nation. With America falling under new leadership, last year’s conference worked to not only restore the nation, but revive a nation who seems to be losing its way. Vann is hoping this year’s conference will help the community reach out and share the love of Christ.
This year’s theme is Rise Up – Reach Out and is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 24.
“We want to reach out to people and share about home and foreign missions,” Vann explained. “Our goal is to bring unity among our youth and area churches.”
Rise Up began several years ago as Vann stood at a revival service in Charlotte. After much prayer, the first conference was initiated, with the seventh scheduled for later this month.
“Faithfully, we put His plans in place for an event where people can rise up to revive, renew, repent, restore and relate,” Vann said. “(We hope) the result will be total restoration and a desire to cherish a close, right relationship with the Lord and loved ones.”
The first conference, Rise Up-Recount, was held in 2012 with Rise Up-Reach Out held in 2013, Rise Up-Renew held in 2014, Rise Up-Relate in 2015, Rise Up-Restore in 2016 and Rise Up-Revive last year.
During the conference, the youth participants will be divided into groups and take part in home mission work throughout the city. This community service will be done from 1:30-3:30 p.m. While one group works on making blessing bags and caring cards, another group will visit local nursing homes to pray over people and witnessing to the residents.
“Exciting mission opportunities have included rest home visits, prayer walk, card ministry, hospital visitation, yard clean up for elderly and widows, food drive, farm life experiences, and others,” Vann explained. “Youth are invited to come with their church youth group or own their own.”
The public is invited to attend all worship events. Youth registration begins at 1:30 p.m., followed by visits with local missionaries from 2-4 p.m., youth celebration hour from 4-5 p.m., mission hour from 5-6 p.m. and praise and worship hour from 6-7 p.m.
All activities are free and everyone is invited to attend.
Jerry Hood of Love of Christ Ministries will be selling food from 3-6 p.m., with all proceeds going to the local ministry.
When asked why such conferences should be held, Vann said it allows for people to come out for fellowship, food, fun and fostering of faith, simply because people need to know the Lord, to rise up in Christian love and leadership, and to live in a right relationship with God and family.
From 4-5 p.m., youth will be celebrated through praise and worship. Ministering to the youth will be pastor Russ Emanuel, minister of Olive Grove Church, and Dwayne Dunning, youth minister at Clinton Community Church.
At this time, a local youth group will be chosen by the Tim’s Gift Board of Directors and recognized for their mission work throughout the last year. Vann is asking local youth leaders to send a short email or letter to Tim’s Gift explaining a mission experience that impacted their youth group’s lives. Submissions must be submitted by Feb. 14.
During this year’s main event, Clinton Community Church Praise Band will usher in the worship hour with powerful praise music, and the Rev. Tyler Jernigan, who currently pastors at Northside Church in Duplin County, will deliver the message. Jernigan is familiar with the Rise Up events, having preached at Rise Up – Recount Love in 2012, Rise Up – Reach Out in 2013, and last year at Rise Up-Revive.
“His delivery of God’s word can revive people of all ages to come closer to Christ,” Vann said.
For more information, please contact Jennifer Brewer and Vann from Tim’s Gift.