M15 Conference || Kansas City

17 February 2015


Last week I had the wonderful opportunity to go to the M15 Conference in Kansas City, MO. This was a four day conference for the clergy and laity in the Church of the Nazarene. In an attempt to encourage current ministry students to come to the conference they offered a reduced rate to students...FREE. That's a motivator right there! Hotel rooms and lunches were not free at the conference however and we were blessed to have our University President cover the cost the hotel rooms and lunches. So the only thing that the 50 of us ONU Ministry & Theology students had to pay for was our food while traveling and our dinners while in KC. Talk about wonderful!

So last Monday we all met in front of Ludwig Student Center (I think that's the full name...we just call it Ludwig) at 7:45am and loaded onto the charter bus. Many came bearing blankets and pillows, some came with a backpack full of homework. Others of us, myself included, brought some fun, non-school books with us to read. We spent the next seven hours on the bus driving down to KC. We were excited when we arrived and could get off of the bus!

We ran into an old professor of ours, Dr. Moore, who now works with Holiness Today


We got to KC in time to grab dinner and head to the exhibit hall for a little bit. The group I was with also managed to pick up a job within two hours of being in KC! We were walking the exhibit hall and someone from MNU asked us if would help hand out bulletins for the evening service. Of course we said yes! Our fellow students didn't question the fact that we were handing out bulletins, but our professors and university chaplain were confused as to how we managed to get a job on day one! Haha we're just eager to serve! :)  We had fun with it and had a great first night!

On our way to our secret mission! (A.K.A. Handing out bulletins)
 We ended our first night by exploring the College Basketball Hall of Fame at the College Basketball Experience and playing some 3-on-3 basketball. Such a great time with fellow ministry students!

On our second day we had two services, three workshops, and a lunch session. So we were constantly going which was totally okay with me. There was free time to wander the exhibits and talk with people, which was good for those who are looking for a job after graduation this May. After a long day in sessions we got to take a short trip to get dinner. The parents of a friend who wasn't even on the trip took a group of five of us girls out to dinner. We went to Gates BBQ in KC. Oh how I had missed KC BBQ!! It was SO good! Nothing like some burnt ends.

Just a quick snapshot before dinner
 We were so thankful to Mr. & Mrs. Steward for taking us out to dinner! It was a great time to just relax, eat good food, and enjoy our time in KC.

Wednesday was another day full of sessions and time to walk around the exhibit hall. There were some great sessions and I look forward to sharing some of them with you! While walking the exhibit hall we had to stop by our own school's Grad School booth. After being there for 15-20mins three of us had signed up for grad school. Carlos was too convincing!! Haha :) I also ran into some wonderful friends from the district I grew up in, Nebraska. So fun to see them again! I also ran into people who knew my great grandad from when he was a pastor in Nebraska. Haha gotta love the interconnectedness of the Nazarene church!

We ended our last night in KC by gathering in the hotel lobby to talk with a new friend from Florida who is going to school in Independence, MO. It was a fun evening!

Thursday morning we met in the lobby at 7:45am and once again boarded the charter bus. We were headed back to Illinois, back to the reality of school. It was such a lovely time and there were so many awesome memories made! I am so glad that I got the opportunity to go!! I am also glad to be back! :)

Here is the highlight video from the conference if you would like to watch it!

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