Southern California Conference (SCC) Youth Ministries recently hosted a teen weekend with the theme “His Beloved” at White Memorial church, bringing together approximately 150 teens and parents for a weekend centered on faith, identity, and a closer walk with Jesus.
This annual event began in 2010 as the Teen Leadership Training (TLT) event held the last weekend in January and led by TLT coordinators Lynnette and Steve Clement. In 2022, the conference expanded its vision to include all teenagers, officially transitioning it into what is now known as the teen weekend event. In 2025, Resa Recalde became the TLT coordinator.
The weekend opened Friday evening with the first session, entitled “Valued by Him,” presented by Cindy Ramirez-Hui and Isai Ramirez. This session focused on identity, body image, insecurity, and self-worth. Worship, anchored by the theme song “I Am Your Beloved,” created a reflective, Christ-centered atmosphere.
Sabbath programming continued with the sermon “Known by Him,” which emphasized relationship with God and encouraged teens to recognize His personal care and unconditional love. Later, session two, entitled “Love Like Him,” highlighted relationship with others, teaching participants to reflect God’s love in their interactions with family, friends, and peers.
The weekend concluded with a meaningful commitment ceremony. One teen requested baptism, three requested Bible studies, and many others asked for prayer—for themselves, their families, and their friends—and expressed a desire to grow closer to Jesus.
“Our Pathfinder teens truly enjoyed Teen Weekend and felt very impacted by the experience,” said Danny Ramirez, the Pathfinder club director from West Covina church. “They especially loved playing the Christian version of Heads Up, which was fun while still faith centered. The praise team led our group in meaningful worship that set the spiritual tone for each service. The Q&A panel felt very relatable, and the messages from Pastors Isaí and Cindy Ramirez were exactly what our youth needed to hear. Overall, the West Covina Hills Pathfinder club loved the program, and we look forward to more weekends like this.”
The teen weekend highlighted the SCC Youth Ministries’ commitment to providing intentional faith-building experiences for teens and their families. The strong attendance, engaging programming, and heartfelt responses underscored the importance of spaces where young people and parents can worship, learn, and respond to God’s call together.