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by Erik Alsgaard
UMConnection Staff

JOHN COLEMAN/UMCONNECTION

Reggie Dabbs leads a plenary at Rock 2004.

That may seem like a tall order, but in this case, past performance is indicative of future results.

'I don't see ROCK as an event. ROCK is an experience,' said Linda Maloney, one of two co-coordinators of the conference's youth ministry. 'ROCK was where I was blessed to see the awakening of the Holy Spirit in a crowd of screaming people, young and young at heart, all screaming for the Lord.'

Maloney, along with Cathy Stewart, both members at Northwood-Appold UMC in Baltimore, work with conference staff member Tom Price and a small army of volunteers to make ROCK a time of transformation and renewal.

In fact, the theme this year, said Price, is 'Transformation.' Price said the theme came from the youth on the Conference Council on Youth Ministries after a process of prayer and discernment.

'Christianity is a verb,' said Price, 'it's something you do, not a spectator sport. That doesn't happen without transformation.'

Youth today, he noted, live in a culture where, for many, it is 'all about me.' But Price notices a dichotomy in the culture that provides openings for God's spirit to work.

'Youth today have a spiritual longing to understand that which can't be understood,' he said. 'Plus, they are innately caring people.'

On the other hand, he said, youth are driven by the contemporary culture where that spirit of longing and caring gets shoved aside in favor of other things like television, computers and games.

Price

'It takes a willingness to be different,' said Price, 'to come out of what you've grown into and grow into God and God's plan for your life. It takes a transformation.'

'ROCK is important to me,' said co-coordinator Stewart, 'because it is a place were we as leaders come together to encourage, gbwc_superusere and lift up the youth of today.'

Charlotte Thomas, Washington West District youth coordinator and a member of Good Hope Union UMC in Silver Spring, echoes that feeling.

'ROCK is important because it allows youth to come together in a Christian environment where they can be themselves and experience God,' she said. 'They experience the Holy Spirit for themselves in a way that makes sense to them.'

Reggie Dabbs is one avenue for the Holy Spirit at ROCK. He will be the main speaker again this year. Dabbs, who spoke at ROCK 2004 and the ROCK reunion last summer, offers a powerful testimony, speaking to youth in sometimes blunt but always honest and loving terms.

Tree63, an up-and-coming contemporary Christian trio from South Africa, will provide music throughout the weekend. Their latest release, 'The Answer to the Question,' speaks to their doubts and questions, comfort and security, resulting in praise for the one who answers their questions.

Confirmands and leaders who do not wish to attend the entire ROCK retreat can register for just this portion of the weekend and also attend the two Saturday breakout sessions at no cost.

'The goal of ROCK is to provide a retreat where youth can be transformed to have a new or deeper faith in, and personal relationship with, Jesus Christ,' said Price.

The youth learned at ROCK 2004 from Reggie that 'it's not about you.' It's, 'Are you being God's feet and hands and mouth? Are you Jesus with skin on? Are we, literally, the body of Christ?''