Keynote: Rev. Amy Meyer 

Rev. Amy Meyer is the pastor of the First Presbyterian Church in Elgin, Texas where she spends most of her time doing pastor stuff. When she’s not busy at church, Amy enjoys spending time with her family, swimming, and playing the drums

Worship: Jake Clawson 

The Reverend Jake Clawson is pastor at Trinity Presbyterian Church in Flower Mound, Texas. He’s served churches as pastor in both Pennsylvania and Texas, so he’s bilingual, fluent in both “Yinz” and in “Y’all.” During seminary, however, he served for several years as a Youth Director and a love for youth ministry has never left him. In fact, as he and his wife Colleen have welcomed their own children into the world and he’s grown into his ability to lay down Dad Sized Puns, making the youth at his church groan has become a favorite pastime. Jake loves Mo Ranch and is excited to be with you for his first Senior High Celebration!

Music: Kim Mendoza

Kim Mendoza is excited to spend the week with you all singing and dancing in worship to God this summer! Kim currently serves as a Pastoral Resident at First Presbyterian Church in Libertyville, IL, and has served as a musical worship leader in various ministry contexts. Mo-Ranch holds a special place in Kim’s heart because it was during a Music and Worship Conference at Mo Ranch as a senior in high school where she felt God’s tug on her heart to musical ministry. When she is not pastoring, Kim enjoys coaching her 5th/6th grade girls’ basketball team, running, and dreaming about In-n-Out (they don’t have one where she lives).

Recreation: Ryan Seekins 

Ryan Seekins is the Rec leader this year at Mo Ranch Celebration. She is a middle school choir teacher in Wylie, TX. She lives in Garland, Tx with her boyfriend and her three cat children she loves very much. When you don’t see her teaching she is outdoors sitting in her hammock reading a good book. She used to go to Mo Ranch in the summer in middle school and high school and her favorite thing to do was The Big Gulp. She is looking forward to meeting new people and spreading the love of God to everyone.

Small Group Coordinator: Rev. Brendan McLean 

While originally born and raised in the Midwest, Brendan has been a Texan for more than six years, serving currently as an associate pastor at First Presbyterian Church in Tyler. He has served in ministry in Texas in a variety of ways—doing committee work for Grace Presbytery, leading worship for migrant teen boys in Dallas, and working in an internship as a hospice chaplain in Austin while in seminary to name a few. He is a man of many interests including, but not limited to, glass blowing, abstract painting, printmaking, listening to and playing music on the piano, movies, hiking, good food, exploring new places, and spending time with his loved ones. If you asked Brendan to sum up his ministry in three words, he would choose solidarity, imagination, and curiosity. He is excited to employ all three of these aspects of ministry and help youth meaningfully engage with their faith at Mo-Ranch!

Conference Director: Sarah Dixon

Sarah Dixon is the Director of Children, Youth and Families at First Presbyterian Church Austin, TX. She grew up going to this conference and Mo-Ranch, and is so excited to be the Director this summer! She grew up at Trinity Presbyterian Church, Flower Mound, TX and then went to Oklahoma State University. After graduating she did a Young Adult Volunteer Year in Denver, CO where she worked at a drop-in center for homeless youth. She loved youth work but wanted to do it in a church, so she went to Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary upon finishing her YAV year to get her Masters in Divinity. She is now certified ready for ordination, and loving her job at FPC Austin working with youth and families! Much of her faith was formed at Mo-Ranch and looks forward to being a part of that formation for others this summer.

Conference Co-Director (and 2023 Director!): Emily McAllister 

Emily is the Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministries at First Presbyterian Church in Kerrville TX. A lifelong Presbyterian, growing up in North Texas she loved getting to travel to Mo Ranch for summer trips and can’t believe it’s now right down the road from home! This is her first time serving as leadership for a camp and can’t wait to play, grow, and worship with all these wonderful youth. When not busy at church, Emily loves to watch movies and tv shows, fish, travel and spend time with family.

Abide in Me

Program Department COVID Protocols – June 1, 2022

COVID:

• At this time face masks are welcomed, however not required. 
• Please monitor symptoms of all participants in the days upcoming.
• Once your group arrives, we ask you do not leave the property unless for emergencies.
• Small Group’s will be outdoors, in shade, under pop-up tents, with cold drinking water at each space.
• We are still encouraging social distancing and effective hygiene. 
• Hand sanitization and disinfectant stations will be widely available. 
• Mo-Ranch Executives are continuing to monitor probable COVID cases in seventeen counties in Texas included in the major metro areas of Texas as well as the lower Valley.

Protocols are subject to change and may be amended at any time

$250 per registrant/adult sponsor for group lodging.

$385 per registrant/adult sponsor for hotel lodging. 

Housing

Many of the buildings on our historic property were built as early as the 1950s.  We acknowledge that our buildings cannot accommodate all abilities and people yet and commit to making reasonable accommodations until all facilities are renovated.

Standard housing for youth conferences at Mo-Ranch is group housing. These spaces include, but are not limited to, Milk Barn, Milk Barn Bunkhouses, River Dorm, Guest Lodge, and Log Lodge.

Conference Housing Description – Shared space with other churches, youth groups, and conference attendees.

Sleeping quarters will vary from semi-private to dormitory style housing that can consist of 4- 20 beds in a shared communal living environment. These rooms can consist of single or double beds, and single bunk bed styles. For specific bed/room layouts, please visit Stay at Mo-Ranch • Presbyterian Mo-Ranch Assembly (moranch.org).

Bathroom Facilities Description

Bathrooms in group housing are shared community spaces. Private showers and bathroom stalls are available. There are no designated private changing areas. Mo-Ranch encourages all guests/campers/staff to change clothes in private areas and discourages nudity or disrobing directly in front of others.

Mo-Ranch encourages all participants for youth conferences to reside in the community living environment. However, if this style of lodging does not meet your individual needs, please make us aware. We will make every effort to accommodate your housing needs. Changes in housing are subject to availability and additional fees.  

Considerations

Housing Reservations: When booking your group for a conference at Mo, please be mindful of our limitations and our available housing. Conference participants will be housed on a first come, first serve basis, though we will do our best to honor your housing preference. To be good stewards of the housing facilities that we have available, your group may be housed with other youth groups in dorm/group housing. It is always a good idea to share this information with your group, including youth participants, parents, chaperones, and church leadership prior to booking so that we may partner with you and your group to try meet the needs of your participants.

Sponsors

You will need a sponsor to youth ratio of 1:5. Adult sponsors must also pay and register for the conference. The number of adult sponsors must correspond to the gender numbers in the group they are bringing.  Five boys and three girls would mean at least one male and one female sponsor. If your group chooses to stay in hotel-style accommodations, youth will be housed 3-4 youth per room and churches may be combined to accommodate this arrangement.

Questions? We’re happy to help! Contact us at 1.800.460.4401 ext. 246 or registrar@moranch.org.

Arrival & Departure

Arrive and check-in between 4 and 6 p.m. on the day the conference begins. One sponsor per group should check-in their group. Groups will be able to move into their housing facilities no earlier than 4 p.m. Conferences begin with dinner at 6 p.m. and end mid-morning on the day of departure.

Adult Sponsors

You will need a ratio of 1:5; 1 adult sponsor per 5 youth. Adult sponsors must also register and pay for the conference. The number of adult sponsors must correspond to the gender numbers in the group they are bringing. 5 boys and 3 girls would mean at least 1 male and 1 female sponsor.

Appropriate Dress

While we recognize clothing is one way young people express themselves, we expect them to do so in ways that honor themselves as well as the kind of community we are building during our youth conferences. We ask participants (both youth and adult sponsors) to dress comfortably for the weather, but also modestly. Please refrain from wearing clothing:

• that is too revealing like: short shorts, strapless tops or dresses, shirts that allow for a bare midriff, pants worn below the waist line. Dress should be appropriate for a youth conference. 
• that advertises alcohol or tobacco products
• that contains language demeaning or ridiculing someone’s gender, sexuality or ethnic origin

For recreation events, all participants are expected to wear shirts. Participants out of line with dress standards will be asked to change clothes or put on an over-layer that provides adequate coverage.

Swim Check

Youth will be asked to take a swim check at the pool during the check-in period. For easy access, youth should remember to pack swimsuits on top. Swimmer and non-swimmer wristbands will be issued to all participants. All youth participants must take the swim check even if they are 18 years of age. Participants not wishing to take the swim check must go to the pool to be given a non-swimmer wristband. Wristbands provide guest identification to our staff and act as meal tickets in the dining hall, and must be worn by guests at all times. Please note Mo-Ranch’s appropriate dress standards when packing swim suits.

Stuff to Bring

Water bottles! Bible, casual clothes, closed-toe shoes for ropes course, swim suit (swim trunks for males, no bikinis for females. “Tankinis” are acceptable so long as no midriff is showing), swim towel, river shoes, sunscreen, insect repellent, flashlight, toiletries, notebook, spending money and a camera.

Personal Electronics

The use of personal electronic devices affect not only the person using the device but others around them. Using an electronic device for activities unrelated to the conference can be disruptive and disrespectful. Mo-Ranch encourages groups to leave personal electronics at home. We ask that any electronic devices brought to the conference be kept on silent or turned off during all scheduled events (keynote, small group, worship, vespers, etc.) Distracting personal electronics may be collected by conference staff and turned in to a sponsor. Mo-Ranch or its representatives will not assume responsibility for devices that are lost, stolen, damaged and/or confiscated.

Transportation

Mo-Ranch is 90 miles one-way, or a 2-hour drive from the nearest airport (SAT), allow 3 hours travel/check-in time for departures. We recommend generally scheduling arriving flights before 3 p.m. and departing flights after 3 p.m. to be sure you do not miss any of your event. If you are in need of shuttle service to Mo-Ranch, call Kars for Hire in Kerrville at (830) 890-8200 at least 15 days in advance to arrange transportation from San Antonio International Airport. Directions to Mo.

Ropes Course

This conference will include a selection of our ropes course elements. To read a description of each element, click here.

Bookstore

Make sure to stop by the Presbyterian Mo-Ranch Assembly bookstore during your conference to pick out a souvenir!

Questions

We’re happy to help! Contact us at 1.800.460.4401 ext. 246 or registrar@moranch.org.