Stay Hungry - Confirmation Rally Recap

It may sound like a catchy ad campaign, but we embraced “Stay Hungry” as the theme for our Confirmation Rally with Bishop Harvey at Light on the Hill on March 29! Inspired by the beatitudes (Matthew 5:6) we set off on an exciting day. The weather? A bit windy and gloomy, but that did not dampen our spirits! Starting at 9:30 am—youth, sponsors, parents, and pastors from 17 different churches began arriving and gradually filling the space with energy and connection.

The Praise Band and all participants were pumped to kick things off with joyful singing and praise. We split into four rotation groups after a warm welcome and opening prayer from Bishop Cynthia Fierro Harvey. Rev. Wilson Pruitt led us in some United Methodist trivia. Pastor Kathy Adams helped us explore how to share our faith. Youth discovered ways to support UMCOR. The youth had some heart-to-heart time with Bishop Harvey, where they could ask questions. The Bishop shared her personal stories and insights about the church.

As the theme suggests, we stay hungry. We mingled during lunch, getting to know each other and made new friends. Rogelio Rodrigues from Impacto UMC read the biblical passage from Matthew 5:1-12. Ava Chandler from Colonial Hills UMC led the opening prayer and shared a testimony. She invited youth to get involved in the Rio Texas Conference Youth Ministry Council (YMC). She shared how these roles helped her find her voice and grow into her discipleship. Harper Claes from Kyle UMC nourished us well when she shared her internal and external struggles on her faith journey and how the Holy Spirit led her to find a place in the church. She expressed her initial hesitations but gradually discovered her gift and love of cooking. She offers meals at her church, and her dream as a disciple is to make food accessible to all. You can hear the complete message here; you will be hungry for God after listening.

Bishop Harvey took the stage and led us in communion. She shared her favorite scripture and spoke about how she lifts up our youth and children in her prayers. She reminded everyone that the youth are a tremendous blessing to our church family!

My favorite moment? When she invited adults to let the youth nourish us! She flipped the script and encouraged the young people to feed the adult church leaders with their energy. We all need the passion and vibrancy that God provides through our young leaders. Let’s stay curious and hungry for the wisdom they bring into our lives today, and let’s embrace the nourishment they offer to our communities. It makes us all stronger in God’s kingdom!

As we gather around the table, let us remember to continue to be a blessing to everyone we meet. A huge shoutout to Mrs. Deandra Palacios and FUMC Mason for their incredible efforts in organizing this amazing event. A heartfelt thanks to the praise band from Christ Fellowship for uplifting our spirits with their music, and to everyone who keeps our pastors, parents, sponsors, and youth in your prayers.

Mark your calendars for our next Confirmation rally with Bishop Harvey on March 28, 2026! You can play a pivotal role in making this event happen: during the Service of Commissioning and Ordination at Annual Conference in Corpus Christi, we will designate the offering to support this upcoming confirmation rally. Let’s make it a memorable occasion!

Written by Rev. Miguel Padilla