Well, the 1966 convention is fast approaching and will be here before you know it. Have you made your plans to attend? Hopefully you’ve all heard quite a bit about it already, but through this article we hope to give a more complete and integrated picture of what you can expect August 19-22. In its instruction to the host society regarding the 1966 convention, the Federation strongly advised that other formats for the convention be considered in addition to those previously used. Following this suggestion without sacrificing the spiritual value of the PRYP Convention became the challenge facing the Southeast Prot. Ref. Young People’s Society.
In several “brainstorming” sessions, suggestions ranged from holding the entire convention at a remote camp available for such events to questioning the value of a convention at all. Several innovations resulting from this “blue sky” research are obvious, others are more subtle; a few are definitely experimental, while others are successful ideas borrowed from business conventions.
Scheduling the convention to span a weekend is one of these innovations. Since weekends are usually less heavily scheduled, this is expected to allow for more local participation on Friday evening, Saturday, Sunday, and even Monday evening activities. Since Sunday is a day in which we busy ourselves with Kingdom matters, this day also is to be used for profitable activities and Sunday evening is to be climaxed with the Convention Singspiration.
Instead of scheduling the traditional keynote address at the beginning of the convention, this year it is placed at the end of a day of presentations and discussions leading up and preparing for the keynote address. Tighter scheduling throughout the convention should eliminate any “what-are-we-supposed-to-do-now” time.
Strategically scheduled “seventh-inning stretches” will allow for refreshment and a bit of exercise during the otherwise lengthy business sessions.
The host society has found the planning of this convention to be both interesting and challenging, and hopes that you find the convention to be the same.
As you’ve heard many times before, the host society can plan the convention but unless the young people come and come with the right attitude, it may not live up to expectations. If you come with the attitude that it can be profitable and a good convention, then it will be.
As are all activities, registration is planned for and starts with you. In order that Friday be a day completely devoted to convention activities, registration will be Thursday night, August 18, from 7-10 in Southeast Church at which time fees will be collected and lodging assigned. If you have arranged for your own lodging, please be sure to have the name, address, and telephone number with you at registration.
The convention part of the society dues is paying for half of the convention picture, half of the banquet, and two-thirds of the outing, plus all meals provided, but society members attending the convention will be asked to pay $5.00 at registration (non-members-$7.50). This will cover the other part of the costs of convention activities.
Friday morning will mark the official start of the convention with opening ceremonies beginning at 9:00. Throughout the day business meetings, talk on “Faith of Our Fathers” and intermissions will be spaced to make it a full day leading up to the convention picture and the traditional keynote address which this year will be given by Rev. George Lanting on “Seeds of Faith.” Something new has been added to the get-acquainted hour this year which will allow everyone to show his talents. We think it should be a lot of fun.
We’re sure you’ve all heard a lot about Saturday already and trust you’re looking forward to spending the day at the Jack and Jill Ranch in Muskegon, Michigan. They provide a tremendous variety of activities which include horseback riding, swimming, boating, archery, and tennis to name only a few. Making the day complete will be the second speech, “Growth of Faith” by Rev. David Engelsma and a picnic supper on the beach.
The convention theme is “Faith” based on the text II Peter 1:5-8, “And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue… that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ,” and carried through in the theme song, Psalter No. 7.
Sunday is the day which we are all awaiting with great eagerness for in addition to the normal two church services, we have scheduled afternoon discussion groups centered around the topics “Education,” and “Faith Reflected In Our Walk.” The discussions will be held in Adam’s Street Protestant Reformed School and will begin at 2:00. That we may sing to God’s glory and meditation over the Word which we have been blessed to hear in that day, the Convention Singspiration will be held on Sunday night, featuring a special number by DaVonna Miersma of Doon, Iowa.
Final days of conventions should be memorable ones so we’ve planned activities to make it so, beginning with the traditional pancake breakfast, and the business meeting in the morning, to finish all the business and elect officers. You should be thinking now of whom you would like to elect to posts on the Federation Board, for there are quite a number of them to be filled. An unusual event awaits you Monday afternoon in the form of a debate on the topic, “Resolved: that PRYP should take an active part in missions.”
The crowning event will be as always the Banquet whose committee has been guarding the theme well. From what the society has been able to uncover, you will be hearing Marilyn and Phyllis Schuartz from Loveland, Colorado and Rev. Jason Kortering on “Fruits of Faith.” It should prove to be a fine end to another PRYP convention and as we part again singing “God Be With You ‘Til We Meet Again,” we all once again go our separate ways but only in body, for the spirit of God and His people lives on in all our hearts.