Campus ministries - 17 groups attend retreat

Leonard Sweet, standing, directed small groups to organize by birth months.

Leonard Sweet spoke in four worship services during a recent All-Wesley Retreat for college students, held at Cross Point Camp. The 165 young people sought still more insight from this highly acclaimed Church leader.

So he entered into a question-and-answer session, where he was asked:

• Will God change his mind if enough people pray?

• What does "the Word" mean in John 1:1?

• What’s your favorite TV theme song?

A total of 17 United Methodist campus ministries, from six annual conferences, took part in the jurisdiction-wide program Feb. 17-19. Six of Oklahoma’s campus ministries were represented.

Based on Rev. Dr. Sweet’s book "So Beautiful: Divine Design for Life and the Church," the retreat embraced the theme "MRI" (Missional, Relational, Incarnational).

"Sweet is extremely relevant, on top of social media and current events, and young people are living that," said Daniel Dennison, campus minister of the Wesley Foundation at OU. "He shows how the Gospel is relevant in the midst of all that."

Additionally, six workshops taught practical ways to live out the theme. Presenters were from a monastic-living community in Dallas as well as the business world. A young woman described her life as an Individual Volunteer In Mission. A lawyer spoke about his pro bono work.

Retreat planners were campus ministers from four schools—OU, the University of North Texas, Kansas State, and Texas Christian University. Rev. Dennison praised camp manager Ken Long for the support and hospitality extended to the large group.

"We are a connectional ministry, and this is a way to celebrate that" among young people, said Dennison. "We think it’s important to build relationships with kids from other schools, some of them rival schools."