About a week ago, on January 29, about 70 college students from across South Central Pennsylvania gathered at Lebanon Valley College’s campus in Annville PA. The gathering was for Restore 2011, a one-day conference focusing on restoring our own inner beings for the sake of then turning to restore the world around us, titled “Life on the Road”.
Students from Millersville University arrive at Restore 2011.
Students were led in a moving time of musical worship led by Nick Peterson, and then offered some insights into a conversational relationship with God through two short talks by Dan McWilliams.
There was time to put these new ideas into practice. Students took an hour in silence to simply be present with God and listen, followed by many lively conversations between students from different schools.
Finally, in the afternoon, students broke into more focused practice groups to help put into practical terms this journey of following Jesus, both on the college campus and in life after college. Seniors preparing to graduate played a Time Management game to simulate decisions they will soon face as they balance home life, work, friendships, and church.
Students pondering their next moves in a Time Management Game.
Students playing the Time Management Game.
Curious about time management and what these seniors are wrestling with? Check out this video of Scott Belsky over at the 99 Percent.
Here’s what Kelly, InterVarsity staff at Dickinson College, had to say:
Students enjoyed the opportunity to get off campus and attend an event with other Christian students, a change from the usual campus fellowship atmosphere. At dinner together in my apartment afterwards, students shared that their favorite part of Restore was the hour of quiet time with God they had after the first speaking session. The speaker had provided a few questions to reflect on for this time. Each of the students felt that it was an expectionally good quiet time, with no distractions and silence–something hard to come by on Dickinson’s busy campus. We brainstormed ways they could find such spaces, which led to sharing of some of the more obscure little known places on campus that we have found.
