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By Sandra Collin

Our Poplar Springs Charge youth group, self-titled the 'Extreme Teens,' has always been an inspiration to me. They are small in number and young in age, but big in mission and wise beyond their years.

This band of dynamic youth were so excited about ROCK 2006, as they are every year, that I couldn?t wait to be a chaperone.

Really.

I could not wait.

On Friday afternoon, Jan. 21, their tidal wave of enthusiasm carried me towards Ocean City and ROCK. One other chaperone, Carol Toney, and a total of six youth ? Connie, Joleen, Mary Kate, Patti, Becca and Peter ? loaded up our two vehicles with suitcases, iPods, CD players and snacks and got on the road with 4,000 others towards this huge Holy Ghost party weekend.

Our group was equally divided between newbies (those of us who had never or only once experienced the ROCK retreat) and those who have attended many, many times.

My car held the latter. I asked why they were so thrilled to go, year after year. Connie explained that for her it was sort of a New Year?s Resolution and a way to renew and grow in faith. A few weeks previously, she and her mom had traveled to Russia to deliver Christmas presents to orphans as part of a Volunteers in Mission program.

Connie, as well as Peter and Becca, will be going off to college soon, moving from 'youth' to 'young adult' status.

Peter, who had the choice of attending ROCK or going on a senior class ski trip, declared 'it might be the last time' to see friends and experience the spiritual sharing of ROCK before going off to college, hopefully, in Boston.

Becca, the current Miss Maryland Agriculture, stated that it was always fun and looked forward to the music, the speakers and seeing friends from other churches.

And they all agreed that it had become a tradition.

We checked in at the hotel and, after a quick visit to the beach, headed to Pizza Hut for dinner. I questioned the newbies about their expectations. Patti, who had gone once before, was excited about the music. She also found it energizing to see so many other teens worshiping together.

Joleen and her friend Mary Kate didn?t know what to expect, but had heard so much about ROCK 2006 they were sure it would be a fulfilling adventure.

ROCK began that evening with praise and worship by Celia Whitler, a singer/songwriter from Nashville and the worship leader for the retreat. Her uplifting mix of folk/rock praise songs had the crowd on their feet, singing along to the words provided on big screens.

The Ft. Myer?s Master?s Commission, a group of student ministry interns who performed 'human videos' to modern music, kept us all enthralled. The excitement level was kept high when the inspirational gospel quintet Choir Boyz shared their witness of faith in song.

Duffy Robbins, ROCK 2006?s speaker, followed. I could sense the skepticism around me as this older, balding and bespectacled gentleman took the mike. His humorous wit and self-deprecating stories quickly softened this young crowd.

He introduced the theme for the weekend, 'ROCK the Boat,' using the life and calling to discipleship of Peter, a simple fisherman. His descriptive narrative brought to life the challenges and questions faced by Peter, and the Peter in all of us.

Perhaps one of the best parts about ROCK, but seldom noted, is the small group devotion time throughout the weekend.

We returned that night to our rooms to discuss the life of Peter. After some brainstorming, the youth put together a 'want ad' for disciples, including qualities such as honesty, dedication, willingness to travel, and trustworthy. We also acknowledged how scary it must have been for Peter to do something he was not trained to do and had never done before ? be a fisher of people.

We had such glorious weather on Saturday that we went to the boardwalk for lunch and further discussion of Peter?s experience of doubt as described in Matthew 14.

Here the discussion turned to alcohol, drugs, sex and choices of clothing, music and friends as some of the currently popular phony 'life preservers youth had.'

I had forgotten how strong peer group pressure is for teens, the need to fit in. Through this dialogue, I was reminded of the storms faced by today?s youth. A storm like Peter faced that night on the Sea of Galilee.

After the evening breakout sessions, some get-up-out-of-your-seats music by the Choir Boyz, another dramatic human video and Duffy Robbins entertaining us by rapping all the books of the Bible, he got serious as he talked about Peter?s distancing from, and denial of, Jesus. But he also talked about how Jesus still loved him.

He then invited all youth to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Afterwards, we gathered in our hotel room to exchange some ideas about the day. We talked about betrayal, which all the youth had felt at one time or another.

On Sunday morning, Bishop Schol shared inspirational words. Robbins? final words about baby steps in our faith journeys were remembered and reaffirmed by the youth on the drive home.

Yes, ROCK 2006 was huge fun and an inspirational event. But each day brings new challenges that Connie, Becca, Joleen, Mary Kate, Patti and Peter will have to face. Their faith will get them through as they continue with both baby steps and leaps and bounds.

And I hope they know how their faith actions have made my own faith stronger, even as I have my own 'Peter moments.'