More than 600 high school and college-age students from across the country are expected to travel to Owensboro this week for the annual Karen Baptist National Youth Conference, a three-day gathering focused on faith, leadership and fellowship.
The conference, hosted by the Karen Baptist Church of Owensboro in partnership with Bellevue Baptist Church, will run Thursday through Saturday at Bellevue. Registration begins Thursday, followed by an opening ceremony that evening.
The conference rotates to a different host city each year. Previous gatherings have been held in New York and Indiana.
Bay La, a leader with the Karen Baptist Church of Owensboro, said the local congregation was grateful for Bellevue’s willingness to help host an event of this size.
“Our church has always had a great relationship with Bellevue,” La said. “When many Karen families first came to America, Bellevue welcomed us and gave us a place to worship. As our church grew, we were eventually able to purchase our own building, but Bellevue has always been there to support us. Hosting this conference together is a continuation of that partnership.”
Danny Gray, director of missions at Bellevue Baptist Church, said Bellevue has worked alongside the local Karen congregation since refugees first began settling in the Owensboro area roughly 16 years ago.
The Karen congregation worshipped at Bellevue for about a decade before purchasing its own church building, Gray said. Since then, the two churches have continued partnering on ministry efforts.
“From the very beginning, Bellevue has been involved in helping refugee communities establish churches,” Gray said. “We’re excited to be able to provide our facility and support this conference, but this is really the Karen church’s event. We want the recognition to be about their church and the partnership we’ve shared over the years.”
Gray said students are expected to attend from throughout the United States, including the West Coast, Texas, Oklahoma, the Southeast, and other regions.
Conference activities will include worship services, leadership and spiritual seminars, devotional sessions, evangelistic preaching, music and praise team competitions, and regional volleyball tournaments.
Thursday’s opening ceremony is expected to include a welcome from Owensboro Mayor Tom Watson.
La said the event is designed to strengthen young people’s faith while helping them build relationships with other Karen Baptist youth from across the country.
Throughout Friday, attendees will participate in devotional sessions, instructional seminars led by guest speakers from around the country, and a debate competition.
Saturday’s schedule will feature additional devotions, regional volleyball competition, and a battle-of-the-bands-style music competition featuring worship teams representing churches from different regions.
While most attendees will register in advance through participating churches, La said Karen and Burmese youth from the local community are also welcome to attend.
Preparing for hundreds of visitors has required months of planning. Gray said volunteers from Bellevue will assist with the event, while members of the Karen Baptist Church will prepare meals for attendees throughout the conference.
“It’s a massive undertaking,” Gray said. “Cooking for 600 people is no small task, and our churches have been working together for months to make sure everything is ready.”
Gray also credited the Daviess County Convention & Visitors Bureau with helping coordinate accommodations and logistics for guests traveling to Owensboro.
La said bringing the conference to Owensboro is both an opportunity to showcase the local Karen community and to celebrate the relationship the congregation has built with Bellevue over the past decade and a half.
“We’re very thankful,” La said. “This conference gives our youth a chance to worship, learn, and grow together, and we’re honored to welcome everyone to Owensboro.”
Owensboro Karen Baptist Church Youth has an Instagram with more information here.
