Director: Ruth Sifuentes

Ruth is passionate about spreading the good news of Jesus to all those around her. She is so excited to be serving as Director of ICYC this year because she loves the conference, she loves the people and she loves Mo-Ranch! Ruth is from Houston, TX and has served in children and youth ministry for more than 15 years. She is also a Kindergarten teacher and aspires to one day be a coach for the new teacher generation! Ruth loves her family. She is married and has two beautiful daughters. Summer is 19 and Emma 9. Together they love to go shopping, go camping, and visit Mo as much as possible. Ruth is also a Disney adult who enjoys running Disney races and going on Disney trips by herself because her family is tired of Disney!! Her goal in life is to go to Disney every year and to convince her husband to get her an annual pass so she can go more than once a year. It’s a work in progess but she has faith that her wish will come true! She is excited for ICYC and all the wonderful people she will get to meet!

Co-Director: Stephanie Arrendondo 

Stephanie Arredondo is a child of God, wife of 16 years to her husband Aristeo, and mother to two amazing boys, Mathew (14) and Nicolas (8).  She is originally from Dallas Texas, and now resides in Burleson, Texas with her family. She is currently a Senior Project Manager for JPMorgan Chase and has been there for the past 17 years.  She serves as an Elder at her church, as well as the Prayer Ministry team.  She loves all things planning, organizing, and getting things done!  In her spare time, she loves spending time with family/friends, learning about God,  playing strategy games/puzzles, participating in escape rooms, hiking/walks outdoors, watching her family fish, riding 4-wheelers with her boys, and all things beach. Stephanie grew up in the Presbyterian church, and her great grandmother was actually one of the first females in the United States to serve as a Deacon.  She has been coming to Mo-Ranch since she was a teenager, and has many fond memories of growing her relationship with God here.  Stephanie often says “you can just feel God’s presence while at Mo!” She can’t wait to be a part of ICYC this year and see all glory she can hopefully bring to God through her efforts serving during the conference.

Keynote Speaker: Kevin Brigance

Bio coming soon!

Music Leader: Michael McDougal

Michael McDougal is the music director at First Presbyterian Church in Huntsville, Texas where he has served since 2020. He is a music major at Sam Houston State University where he studies voice and opera. Michael has played guitar and sang in worship bands since 2014 and currently leads music with the Presbytery of New Covenant’s Presbytery Youth Connection Council (PYCC). Michael looks forward to sharing God’s love through music this summer at Mo!

Co-Worship Director: James Martin

James is a pastor who originally comes from Washington State. Although after college he served in the YAV program in both San Antonio and Agua Prieta, Sonora, MX. After completing his second YAV year he decided to stay in the binational community of Douglas, AZ and Agua Prieta, Sonora where he currently still lives! He enjoys being outdoors doing many things whether that be biking, hiking or rock climbing. But most of all he loves being part of an amazing community here in the borderlands who is like his second family. Before he was a pastor with the YAV program he was a middle science teacher. Mo-Ranch is a place to connect with God’s creation and make those special connections that build our belonging and friendship we all need as children of God.

Co-Worship Director: Ashley Valenzuela

Ashley is passionate about living an embodied life of love toward God, self, and others. She is a local pastor in the United Methodist Church, and currently serves a congregation in Austin, Texas. Outside of her ministry endeavors, you can typically find her with her loved ones or in the great outdoors, usually hugging a tree. She is so excited to for her first time at Mo Ranch to share in Christ’s love and presence with others!

Recreation Leader: To come! 

Bio coming soon!

2024 Theme: Prayer

Matthew 7:7 Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you 

Mark 11:24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

2024 ICYC Schedule

Cost & Housing

$285 per registrant/adult sponsor for group lodging.

$420 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.

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

Electronic devices include, but are not limited to: cell phones, tablets, mp3 players and handheld games. 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.

Trading Post

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.