Youth pastors and youth workers from Ohio Conference, Mennonite Church USA, gathered at Bluffton University, Nov. 12, as part of the second Ohio Youth Pastor Peer Group conference.

Thomas Dunn, youth pastor at Kidron Mennonite Church, Kidron, Ohio, and a 2007 graduate of Bluffton, introduced the idea of having a day set aside for youth pastors to gather at Bluffton and discuss their ministries.

Darin Nisly, youth pastor at First Mennonite Church in Canton, Ohio, Joe Troyer, youth pastor at Hartville Mennonite, Hartville, Ohio and Jessica Schrock-Ringenberg, youth pastor at Zion Mennonite Church, Archbold, Ohio, worked together to organize the event this year.

Rev. Dr. Randy Keeler, professor of religion, served as a resource for the day-long conference in 2008 and again in 2009.

He works extensively with youth ministry majors and is the Ohio Conference Youth Ministry Advocate for the western portion of the conference.