Mo Ranch

Coordinates: 30°03′30″N 99°28′27″W / 30.058425°N 99.474077°W / 30.058425; -99.474077

View from the Chapel on the Hill at Mo Ranch.

Mo Ranch is a Presbyterian conference center for summer camps, retreats, family reunions that is located west of Hunt, Texas in the Hill Country at the North Fork of the Guadalupe River.

History

The Ranch is named for Daniel J. Moran, who was chairman of Continental Oil Company (later to become Conoco, Inc.). He owned the 6,800-acre (28 km2) ranch from 1935 until his death in 1948; Presbyterians purchased the ranch in 1949, the year after his death, for $512,500. Eventually the State of Texas bought 6,500 acres (26 km2) of the ranch from the Presbyterians, and later expanded that portion with additional purchase of adjacent land. That land is now the Kerr County Wildlife Management Area, administered by the Texas Parks & Wildlife. Now the entire Mo-Ranch covers 500 acres (2.0 km2).

Conferences

Junior High Jubilee

Junior High Jubilee is a conference open to junior high school students who have completed the 6th, 7th, and/or 8th grade. This is one of the two large youth conferences offered at Mo Ranch. Youth campers arrive at the beginning of the week and are assigned a number for a Small Group (SG). In these groups the Small Group Leader (SGL), the youth, and the youth sponsors discuss topics presented in the daily keynote led by the Keynote Speaker and in the daily worship led by the Worship Leader. These two activities are accompanied by music led by the Music Leader.

The individuals who assume these roles are determined by a planning team for the conference. The planning team also decides on the theme for the week and the T-shirt design for the conference.

There are two sessions, each a week long, for Junior High Jubilee. Traditionally, they are separated by a week in mid-summer.

Youth Celebration

Youth Celebration is a conference open to senior high school students who have completed the 9th, 10th, 11th, and/or 12th grade. This is the other large youth conference offered at Mo Ranch. This conference holds many similarities to the Junior High Jubilee conference, but has a few distinct differences.

Small Groups hold the same purposes but tend to be more in depth with topic discussion. The three leadership roles of Keynote Speaker, Worship Leader, and Music Leader still play their respective parts, but they are accompanied by the Drama Leader and the Drama Team. The Drama Team is a group of youth who are participating in the conference as well as performing various skits and representations of keynote and worship topics.

A planning team of youth and adults determines the leadership positions (similar to the Jr. High conference), the theme for the conference session, and the T-shirt design.

There are two sessions, each a week long, for Youth Celebration. Traditionally, they are separated by a week in early summer, but as of late, one session will be in early summer and the other in late summer.

College Connection

College Connection is a conference for college students. The dates for this conference are typically the week after many colleges undergo finals. Similar to some of the youth conferences (see above), College Connection offers a Keynote Speaker, a Worship Leader, and a Music Leader. Also similar to the youth conferences, students are divided into small groups called discussion groups. In contrast to the youth conferences, the students attending College Connection do not have a sponsor to look after them, do not have a curfew at night, and have more free time during the day.

Thanksgiving

Every year Mo Ranch celebrates Thanksgiving starting the Wednesday before and ending the following Sunday. There are many activities for those attending to stay occupied. Planned activities include Bird watching, board games, campfire/storytelling, canoeing, choir, crafts, hiking, horseshoes, nature classes, movie night, ping pong, tennis, white elephant bingo, worship service, and decorating the Mo-Ranch Christmas Tree.[1] Thanksgiving lunch will be provided to those sporting wristbands (from purchasing all the meals offered Thanksgiving week) or buying tickets at the door. For those that are brave enough to use the slide may. Every year there is at least one family that goes down the slide after their annual Kids versus Adult football game, the Neill family. This family has been coming to Mo Ranch for Thanksgiving for over 30 years.[2] People must register to reserve space for those staying overnight. Group housing is available, but the Manor House as always will be taken by the Neill's.

References

  1. ↑ "About Thanksgiving at Mo". Mo-Ranch Conference Center. 2008. Retrieved 2008-11-08.
  2. ↑ Personal Interview with a Neill family member
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