By Kara Harris, PacNWC Youth Commission Thunder Coordinator
Thunder 2018 was a record-setting year with 485 participants between students and leaders. Thirty-three churches were represented. Rooms were at capacity. Meal times at Brightwood and Nisqually were at packed. The weather was amazing. The energy was high. The staff at Cascades Camp and Conference Center, as always, did a fantastic job of managing the logistics and creating a warm, welcoming environment.
Mike Nunan traveled to us from Colorado to inspire a packed Rainier Center with solid messages about brokenness, hope, owning your story, and restoration. Worship was lead by Paul Burger and a crew of high school students from Bethany Covenant Church. It was a pleasure to see how this student worship team created an environment where our middle schoolers could experience the power of the Holy Spirit. Each of the four sessions set small groups up for powerful conversations where students were empowered to process and apply all they had taken in
. Thank you for your prayers.
As we creep closer and closer to capacity each year the Cascades has graciously worked with the Youth Commission to problem solve and think creatively around the mealtime, rooming and activity limits. With Thunder growing each year it has become clear that it is time to make the choice to either turn students and churches away or split Thunder into two weekends. Not wanting any student to miss out on the experience we have decided to move forward with planning two Thunder retreats next year. Please be in prayer for the planning team and the students as continue to problem solve through the best problem there is to have… success.