The annual Southern and Western CY Presbytery Weekend took place in Portadown Faith Mission Centre from 27th to 29th October 2023, and was attended by around 50 young people.
Mr Kenny Stephenson, a student at the Reformed Theological College, gave four talks over the weekend on the topic of Heaven and Hell. In the first two talks Mr Stephenson spoke on why Hell exists, the reality of Hell, what Hell is like, and why God cannot allow sin to go unpunished. In the third talk Mr Stephenson spoke on Heaven, explaining why Heaven exists, and what it is like. The fourth and final talk took place on Sabbath morning. This talk focused on the Lord Jesus Christ and the salvation that is presented the Gospel. It was made clear that because God is just and merciful, Jesus dying on the cross bore the pain of Hell for those who trust in Him. Jesus experienced an eternity in Hell all at once and thereby paid the price which we would need an eternity in Hell to pay ourselves. An overall theme in these talks was the wonderful nature of God’s grace.
I found these talks very interesting and very helpful, particularly the understanding of Hell as being the total and final absence of God’s grace, and the encouragement to think more about Heaven.
The CY Committee organised a number of activities, including a social event on Friday night, team challenges, a table-tennis tournament, and a trip to McDonalds on Saturday. Theological conversations carrying on long into the evenings were a highlight for many. A big thank you to the cooks, who provided plenty of great food, and to all the leaders who organised and ran such a memorable weekend!
Cassia Moore, Lisburn RPC
