Amena Brown to Speak at New July 4 Event at LJA

Poet, speaker, author, and event host Amena Brown will excite, ignite, and inspire youth during Lake Junaluska’s special 4^th of July youth weekend July 2-5, 2015. New this year, the 4^th of July Youth Event Celebration includes inspiring worship as well as fireworks and other activities. Amena and her husband, Matt, will share "Breaking Old Rhythms" on Friday evening, including a combination of poetry, monologue and deejaying. Saturday morning, Amena will lead a morning worship session, followed by a free day to enjoy the 4^th of July festivities at Lake Junaluska including fireworks, its annual parade, a volley ball tournament, ice cream, and more. Other worship leaders during the 4^th of July Celebration weekend for Lake Junaluska Youth Events include Lindsay Popper and The Adam Courtney Band.  Lindsay served on the Lake Junaluska summer staff in 2014 and is excited to share one of her great passions, preaching.  Adam Courtney is a worship leader from Atlanta, GA, who writes worship music and leads worship full-time. Nestled in the mountains of North Carolina, Lake Junaluska Youth Events are the perfect summer retreat for 6^th through 12^th graders. Each week will feature a morning and evening session that will reflect this year’s theme, “Prepare the Way,” (Isaiah 40:3.) Events are led by a team of college students, guest speakers, and worship bands, with afternoons free for groups to plan rafting trips, enjoy the swimming pool or boats at Lake Junaluska, or participate in a service program. This years’ service project is Stop Hunger Now, where youth groups can choose to help package 25,000 meals for hungry people around the world. “Lake Junaluska has offered spiritual formation retreats for more than 100 years,” said Jennifer Martin, Director of Program Ministries at Lake Junaluska.  “The mountains of North Carolina are the perfect place for young people to grow closer to God.” Registration is now open. Packages include dinner on the first night through breakfast on the last day, housing, and program.  Three night event packages are $245 per person and four night event packages are $317/person.  For those making their own housing and food arrangements, the cost is $105/person for weekends and $120/person for weeks For more information, please visit www.lakejunaluska.com/summer-youth , or contact Anna King at registrar@lakejunaluska.com or 828-454-6682 to register. For more programming information, contact Jennifer McSwain Martin, Director of Program Ministries at jmartin@lakejunaluska.com or 828-454-6716. Lake Junaluska Conference and Retreat Center is an agency of the Southeastern Jurisdiction of The United Methodist Church. The mission of Lake Junaluska is to be a place of Christian Hospitality where lives are transformed through renewal of soul, mind, and body. Lake Junaluska Youth Event speakers and worship bands include:

• June 11-14: Celia Whitler, Abbye West Pates
• *June 14-18: Chris Hughes, Abbye West Pates
• June 18-21: Kevin Wright, TransMission
• *June 21-25: Ciona Rouse and Lanecia Rouse Tinsley, Second Hand City
• June 25-28: Shane Claiborne and Tiffany Knowlin, Second Hand City
• NEW! July 2-5: Amena Brown and Lindsay Popper, The Adam Courtney Band (Modified program and includes July 4^th Celebrations)
• *July 5-9: Lane Davis, The Adam Courtney Band
• July 9-12: Steve Cheyney, The Adam Courtney Band
• *July 12-16: Andy Lambert, Second Hand City
• July 16-19: Duffy Robbins, Second Hand City

*Includes Stop Hunger Now mission project.