2023 Regional Retreat – WItNESS: Live in Faith

The 2023 Southwest Regional Youth Fellowship Retreat will be hosted by Trinity MTC YF at Latham Springs Camp and Retreat Center in Aquilla, TX (near Waco) from November 17-19, 2023.

This year’s theme is “WItNESS: Live in Faith”.

Verse: Acts 22:15 “You will be His witness to all people of what you have seen and heard.”

Speaker: Rev. Jaisen A. Thomas, Vicar of the Redeemer Mar Thoma Church and President of the Diocesan Youth Fellowship

                                               Early Registration Fee: $110 (EXTENDED Deadline Wednesday, October 18th)                                                 Late Registration Fee: $125 (Deadline Friday, October 20th)

Register HERE!

Additional Info: please see the welcome email for more details!

Registration:

• We are planning to start registration/check-in AND dinner around 7:30 PM Friday evening (November 17, 2023), so please plan your commute accordingly. Sessions will run for the remainder of the night Friday, all day Saturday, and conclude on Sunday with English Holy Qurbana Service followed by lunch. We hope to finish everything at the campsite and leave by 1:00 PM Sunday.

Food:

• The camp will be providing meals (4) for all participants during the weekend. We will provide dinner on Friday, snacks throughout the weekend, and a light breakfast on Sunday morning.

Items to bring:

• Bible – a physical Bible is expected for all talks and tracks
• Clothes for indoor/outdoor activities: warm clothes, jacket, church clothes for Sunday Holy Communion Service
• Sneakers
• Bed sheet, blanket, and/or sleeping bag + pillow
• Toothbrush/toothpaste
• Bathroom and other important toiletries (towels, soap, etc.)
• Waivers
• Important Medicine

Transportation:

• For Trinity MTC, there is one bus going up to the campsite that will be departing church by 4 PM. Please be there between 3-3:30 PM to load the bus.
• For Immanuel MTC, please get in contact with your YF officers to confirm transportation.

*If you are riding in the bus or van leaving from Houston, please pack as light as possible to help with space! One duffel bag/person if you can!*

Retreat Rules:

• Remember, this is a church conference. When in doubt, always ask “What would Jesus do?”

• All participants must abide by and respect the faith and practice of the Mar Thoma Syrian Church and Trinity Mar Thoma Church.

• All participants of the conference must remain at the conference site for all sessions.

• Attendance and punctuality at all sessions are mandatory.

• All participants must bring a physical Bible and conference book (provided at registration) to all their conference sessions.

• Appropriate dress, decorum, and behavior are expected at all times.

• Any use of controlled substances (drugs), tobacco/vape products, alcohol, fireworks/explosives, and firearms/weapons is prohibited at ALL times. Anyone found possessing and/or using such substances will be subject to consequences determined by the committee including being removed from the conference with no refund.

• The dorms will be separated by gender. No boys will be allowed in the girls’ dorm and vice versa. Anyone of the opposite gender found in the wrong dorm will be subject to consequences.

• All participants must be in their cabin by the stated “Lights Out” time unless given permission by the committee. Anyone found outside their cabin without permission will be subject to consequences.

• Be respectful to all other attendees, leaders, camp staff, and clergy.

• Be respectful to the Latham Springs campsite. Keep all areas in a clean, orderly manner.

• Any emergency must be immediately reported to the Conference Conveners or Committee Members.

We’re excited to see everyone! Please let Shawn Varghese know if you have any questions! Thank you!