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June 2018 Newsletter
www.diomassyouth.org
A Look at 2018-2019 Events Calendar
With the summer weather finally seeming to settle in, thinking about fall might feel like rushing things, but for many, summer is the time to map out their Youth Ministry calendars for the year.

With that in mind, we are working hard to finalize dates and details on the diocesan offerings for your young people and your groups. Among them include our anchor events--the Middle School Retreat Nov. 16-18, the High School Retreat Feb. 8-10, and the Preconfirmation Retreats March 15-16 and April 5-6--all at the Barbara C. Harris Camp & Conference Center in Greenfield, NH and all planned and run by the Diocesan Youth Council (see next article for more on that).

Also set for the coming year is the return of Las Posadas Dec 16 with the people of San Lucas, Chelsea; a program for teens dealing with the effects of addiction (their own and that of others) in partnership with Trinity Church, Bridgewater and their Remembrance Service for those affected by Addiction January 27 ; and a " Lent Launch Lock-in" March 9-10 . Also in the works is a Beach Clean-up Service Day on Cape Cod this fall and another series of "shop talk" get-togethers for youth workers. Dates and details on these coming soon.

For more on all of these events, continue to check the events page of the youth ministry website, www.diomassyouth.org. If you are interested in assisting in the planning of any of these events, don't hesitate to contact our diocesan youth missioner, the Rev. H. Mark Smith .

Our goal in all of these is to provide opportunities for your young people to connect with colleagues from other churches as we all explore new ways to connect our relationships with God and each other with God's reconciling mission in the world. So please plan to join us--we can not do this without you and your young people!
2018-2019 Diocesan Youth Council
Applications Now Accepted
HELP US SPREAD THE WORD!!

If you are a clergy member or youthworker who knows a rising 10th, 11th, or 12th grader who would be right for this program, now is a good time to talk about this application with them. This flyer provides a good overview of the application process and calendar of the year-long commitment:  here.

The Diocesan Youth Council is a group of young people who represent the youth of the Diocese at Diocesan Convention. They plan and run Diocesan youth events and work to make the church a nurturing environment for the spiritual growth of young people in our Christian community. They seek to accomplish this through extending fellowship and hospitality with their fellow youth.  Learn more .

Diocesan Youth Council Turns 20!
Save the date: November 3, 2018 in Hyannis, MA

The Diocesan Youth Council was first granted convention voice and vote at the 1998 Diocesan Convention, making the November 3, 2018 convention the 20th anniversary of this important milestone. At this year's Diocesan Convention, former Youth Council members and mentors from the recent and distant past will gather to share with Convention what they are up to now, what they still have to say to the church today, and to reconnect with each other.  

A steering committee is now being formed and details will be available shortly. In the meantime, help us reach out to long-lost members and mentors--from a year ago, from five years ago, and from 20 years ago. The party just won't be the same without them. To help in the planning, contact the Rev. H. Mark Smith .
And brand new in Fall 2018, for 9 th -12 th graders

Faith in Action: Las Fronteras
in partnership with Episcopal City Mission
Based on the success of our powerful mission-focused pilgrimages to the borderlands through the Youth Leadership Academy, this new opportunity includes a year of site visits around the diocese to see Faith in Action. 
At each site, participants will explore issues of security and hospitality, stranger and neighbor, privilege and disadvantage, discipleship and servant leadership, all while participating in community service projects across eastern Massachusetts and developing a community of faith and support among themselves. 

The program will begin with an organizational meeting in October, and the year will culminate in the group’s pilgrimage to the US/Mexico borderlands in August 2019.

For details on applying to be part of the inaugural team of this new program, contact the Rev. H. Mark Smith , the diocesan youth missioner.
Meanwhile, it is still summer:
IT'S TIME FOR CAMP!!
How will you and your friends spend their summer? How about hiking, boating, campfires, swimming, learning, archery, arts & crafts, worship, challenge course, dance, theater, music, camping, and so much more!

Week-long sessions begin Sunday, July 1 and run through Friday, August 3. Plenty of options available for campers heading into 4th thru 12th grades and scholarship support is still available.
And don't miss the week-long
July 22-July 27, 2018.

Discover the leader within and join with others in exploring what faith in action in the world means in our lives. Climb a mountain. Dream a dream. Make a friend. "Challenge by choice" for rising 9th and 10th graders. Led by Diocesan Youth Missioner H. Mark Smith and BCH Camp staff.

Scholarship support is available. Inquire with the Camp .

Note that the yearlong Youth Leadership Academy will be replaced in 2018-19 with a new program currently being developed in partnership with Episcopal City Mission. Stay tuned for details in the coming months--but don't wait to sign up for the camp week!! Enrolling in the week at camp does not presume a commitment to the yearlong program.
A Day of Service, of Fellowship, and of Fun!
BCH WORK DAY
Saturday, June 23, 2018

Join BCH staff and friends and help get the camp ready for summer. Projects include trail maintenance, fire pit bench repair, spreading mulch, and generally sprucing up! Clock community service hours while helping maintain this important resource. This is a great activity for a youth group, or for a group of young people and parents.

Please come ready to work! The Camp will give you a great lunch, but the point of the day really is to get a lot of important work done. Options for overnight accommodations also available for a fee. Contact the camp directly for more information.

Advance notice is required so that the staff can be sure to have sufficient tools and supplies.
Resources for Youth Ministry


Mental Health :
A Guide for Faith Leaders
In 2016 the Mental Health and Faith Community Partnership of the American Psychiatric Association Foundation published a brief and useful guide for faith leaders (including youth workers) on mental health, mental illness, and treatment.

In addition to a highly readable and accessible mental health overview, the guide includes such topics as how congregations can be more inclusive and welcoming of people with mental illness, distinguishing religious or spiritual problems from mental illness, and approaching a person with an urgent mental health concern.

The foundation also offers their "Quick Reference On Mental Health for Faith Leaders," a handy refresher for seasoned youth workers as well as a great tool for folks new to the field.

Both publications are available for purchase through the foundation, and both are also available as free downloads. See www.psychiatry.org/faith to find the publications and to find more information on the partnership and links to other related resources.