In Their Words

Hannah Snelling, Tacoma Washington

I have been to 8 of the past 9 NYWCs. I went as a youth worker from Washington, Texas, New Jersey, and now back to Washington. I have gone alone twice; I went as a member of a youth staff team 3 times; I have come as the only staff member (but brought a team of volunteers) for the past 3 years.

I come back because the content changes as youth ministry evolves. I like to be on the cutting edge of youth culture. For example, the first year I went (2000, Anaheim) there wouldn’t have been a seminar on pornography addiction—we just weren’t there yet with the internet and cell phones etc, so it wasn’t a huge problem yet. However, I deeply appreciated the seminar on that very topic in 2007 (St. Louis) as several of my boys were struggling with it at the time.

Where else but NYWC can I sit and have a conversation with so many experts in the YM field? The Critical Concerns Courses are so vital as well—I can’t tell you how often I refer to the CCC I took on helping hurting kids with Rich Van Pelt and Jim Hancock in Pittsburgh in 2005. I refer to their, “Youth Worker’s Guide to Helping Teenagers in Crisis” as my second Bible. Maybe some people’s heroes are cool philosophers, famous athletes, or wealthy businessmen, but mine are people like Jim and Rich, Walt Mueller, Chap Clark, the Skit Guys, Louie Giglio, and Shane and Shane. Of course I am going to be at a convention that brings them all together for the express purpose of helping me do my job better and love my job more!

My volunteers love the conference. It’s a place where they are respected and valued for what they do. I think that plays a big role for them—just feeling so appreciated for caring about kids. Also they have been equipped to be better small group leaders, teachers, youth culture nerds, game leaders, and relational gurus all through seminars taught by the people that write books about those topics. Sure, I train my leaders, but I use the resources that are published by the guys who teach these seminars. So instead of getting my second-hand version, they get training from the source. And we bond as a team, for sure, at NYWC. It is fun to spend time together on a trip without kids.

I really love the atmosphere of NYWC. It’s full of a bunch of us who love teenagers and get it. I don’t have to explain why I am not only willing, but actually like to stay up all night long with a group of teens when I am with other youth workers. I have the most fun and get trained all at the same time. My heart is also cared for. I love the prayer chapel, labyrinth, and seminars designed to help me grow close to Jesus. I just love it. That is the real reason I just keep coming back.

~ Hannah Snelling, Director of Youth Ministry, Marine View Presbyterian Church in Tacoma, Washington