The Week That Was CPE3

For the past several months, I've spent Tuesday (and Thursday, and Monday, and even the occasional Saturday morning) talking to these awesome folks...

L-R: Jordan, Aubry, Rusty, Richie, Enoch
Bridget, myself, Kasey

We were drafted chosen by CollegePlus in late January to be leaders in the student community. Primarily, our role as leaders would involve planning a four night/five day student event. The focus of the week, speakers, marketing, and organization of the event were left for us to decide.

We met in February for a three day intense planning meeting. It was there that we decided on the focus of the event as well as the name, CPE3. We wanted to plan an invigorating retreat that would leave students feeling excited about their potential as cultural leaders and also empowered by the connections they had made with other students and CollegePlus staff.

Officially CPE3 stood for a tri-fold focus:
Engage -- helping students how to engage with our culture, and with each other
Equip -- giving students the practical tools to do the above
Empower -- providing students the motivation and "power" to go out and be Christ-focused leaders

Picture Credit: Aubry S.

After months of hangouts and more calls, emails, texts, and Skype messages than we could ever count the week of September 15th was upon us.

The cabinet flew in early and we spent the weekend prior to event hashing out final session details (secret: the cabinet is full of a variety of opinions and it's rare that we ever have a unanimous vote to anything!), creating student packets, decorating the camp, and enjoying some team bonding time.

Part of the Cabinet
Photo Credit: Kasey L

Each day was unique, but in the end it all blurs together as memories -- distinct, but too interrelated to split into days.

::OCD moments with registration tables

Photo Credit: Stephen P.

::Dances and more dances

dancing in an open-air barn
Photo Credit: Sam G.

::Live music for those dances

L-R: Eddy M., Pierre D., David Y.

::Staff vs. Student Basketball game

The final score of the game

::Not enough sleep

There were moments when I wished I was under 10 and could sleep during sessions

::Morning devotions surrounded by fellow believers

::Engaging Speakers

::Impromptu Skits

The cabinet re-enacting a typical cabinet hangout

::Random Music Sessions

Photo Credit: Kylie W.

::Spending a week talking and sharing life with my college coach

Photo Credit: Lydia N.

::Official CP Graduate Recognition Ceremony

::Daily Recap Videos & Newsletters (available here, here, and here)


My Least Favorite Moment:

::Saying goodbye

No amount of pictures, music, skype messages, or calls make the distance go away. But I am grateful for the close friends that God has given me through events like CPE3 and other gatherings. I am also grateful when they fall less than 8 weeks apart and that there are weekly hangouts to lessen the distance during that time.

{Pssst. Less than 8 weeks, means that in exactly 11 days, I will be seeing some of these awesome people again =)}

CPE3 was not just an amazing week of fellowship with some of the coolest people I know. It was also a chance to develop my leadership skills and gain a vision for the power of motivated Christian young people impacting our current culture for Christ.

Unless otherwise noted, the picture credits belong to Atalie Bale, our official event photographer.