By Michelle Blume, Student and Chair, 
Florida Conference United Methodist Student Movement Steering Team
  
LEESBURG — “Suddenly I feel You holding me.” That line began an annual weekend retreat for college and university students around the state of Florida that many attendees felt was inspired by the Holy Spirit, God-directed and student-led.

More than 160 students, campus ministers and staff gathered at the Warren Willis Camp here Feb. 7-9 for the annual Florida Conference United Methodist Student Movement (MSM) retreat.

Students from nine Florida schools attended the retreat, which was designed to offer a weekend of intense spiritual devotion and fellowship. The retreat’s theme was based on Psalm 42:7, which says, “Deep calls to deep and the roar of your waterfalls…all your waves and breakers have swept over me,” and the song “Sweep Me Away.”  Each of the nine United Methodist campus ministries in Florida contributed to different events and responsibilities, while four student speakers preached on various aspects of the theme.

The United Methodist Student Movement is a denominationwide collective of college and university students from around the world seeking a voice, wanting an active role in the church, and striving for social justice. Its purpose is to create a new generation of Christian leaders, and each conference can organize its own chapter.

“It’s [Florida’s] a statewide network linking campus ministries and local church youth ministries,” Jana Hart, director of the Florida Conference’s Higher Education and Campus Ministry, said.

Student speakers were a first for the retreat and well-received, according to organizers. The students spoke about what it means to be “swept away by an awesome God.”

“I think MSM was very good,” David Duncan, a senior on the Florida Conference United Methodist Student Movement steering team, said. “The students who attended seemed to learn a lot from the speakers. I also thought Shannon was very passionate in her speech.”

Shannon Spencer spoke Friday evening on the theme “Suddenly I feel You holding me,” which focused on how God “is truly in love with us and wants to remove our burdens so we completely enjoy Him.”

Other student speakers included Gary Webb, who spoke Saturday morning on the theme “Suddenly I feel Your hand in mine.” He focused on worship and healing in all God has for each person.†“Each of God’s children goes through the desert, but God is still there and faithful throughout,” he said.

Student Adam Kincaid spoke on the theme “Suddenly I feel You leading me” and focused on how, as the Body of Christ, Christians are expected to live and strive for God’s standards. “This means loving the world, but being separate from it,” he said.

Students said the opportunity to encounter God and the fellowship offered made MSM a memorable and life-changing experience. “MSM is an incredible time to meet Christian people from other schools,” Erica Ares said. “Cabin groups really help create new bonds between people, and the games and events bring everyone closer. There isn’t a lot of worry about how people perceive you or what they might think, because everyone is so open and caring. We are all there for Christ and his glory and that really makes everyone a lot closer.”

Numerous group events throughout the weekend enabled students to come together and put away any barriers between them. Workshops Saturday afternoon on servanthood and balance helped students think outside the box about what it means to live daily for Christ.