Click on this image to go to a slide show of Bishop's Ball - click on any image there to viewThe second weekend in December I went to Bishop's Ball, one of the youth conferences held at the Summit at Haw River State Park, and truly had a life changing experience. The youth coordinators, Lauren Browner and Cara Richards, and the adult coordinator Melissa Feimster, did an amazing job coming up with and basing the conference around the "Mission Possible" theme. It was designed to teach everyone about the eight Millennium Development Goals and the positive impact one person can have.

With Bishops Curry, Marble and Greg keynoting, the GodSquad skits, U2charist and powerful presentations it was impossible to not go home motivated to save the world. I know personally when I got home, my mom, an adult participant at Bishop's Ball, and I began looking at organizations like Episcopalians For Global Reconciliation and Episcopal Relief and Development to see what we could do. I am also looking forward to joining my church, Holy Family's outreach commission.

Not only did this particular conference have an inspirational message but it also had a wonderful group of staff and participants. At any youth event you attend in North Carolina you become part of a loving community. Throughout just one weekend you can see kids come out of their shell, see new friendships being made, and see old friendships being strengthened. The community of youth and adults at these events is something I would not trade for the world. At Bishop's Ball not only did I see old friends and make new ones; I also became closer to God in doing so. I realized that as bishops Michael Curry and Desmond Tutu have both preached, "Together we can."

Maggie Blunk
Church of the Holy Family, Chapel Hill