Hello Youth & Formation Friends!
Last week
Punxsutawney Phil did not see his shadow and according to the legend this means an early Spring. I for one, hope that little groundhog is right. Though I've definitely experienced worse winters, the days are beginning to lengthen, the daffodils are just starting to bloom, and I have a feeling of coming up to the surface.
As a person who lives in a "program year", sometimes it can feel like January is just getting over the hump to amp back up for the next series of seasons and holidays. Here in Diocesan House, it leads right into Convention and then it all comes so fast! Valentine's Day and Lent (or vice versa), St. Patrick's Day, then Holy Week and Easter. It feels like there is hardly enough time to scratch the surface of one before being pushed into the next. Often liturgical seasons can seem hijacked by secularization, yet as people of faith we know there is more than meets the eye.
A surface has two sides, depending on the season or time of year, it can seem like I am on one side or other other. Sometimes I feel like I breaking through the top and other times I feel like I am digging underneath. Either way, until the surface is broken, I know I am missing something. I have to decide whether to take that something at face value or look for more. As we move more fully into the spring months I encourage you to break the surface on whichever side you find yourself. I guarantee you'll discover something you didn't know was there!
Peace,
Emily
Program Officer for Youth, College Campus and Young Adult Ministries
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This simple idea is easy to do, even at the last minute. It helps It encourages prayer and intergenerational involvement. It can be easily modified to suit your parish and could be done in tandem with Lenten programs.
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This post on the
Art of Simple
shares the history of St. Valentine. There are some good question to help us reflect on why we do or don't celebrate the day
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From The Rev'd Emily Heltzman's blog
Musings from a Bricolage
, this is a lesson for older youth on what it means to love like Jesus. Rev'd Heltzman is an ordained Presbyterian minister who serves multicultural congregations in Oregon.
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Shared on Building Faith, this resource comes from
Milestone Ministries.
Gathering family, friends, and neighbors celebrate Shrove Tuesday at home with this guide. It includes history, devotions, and conversation starters.
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This post on
Building Faith
includes the outline for a worship service on Ash Wednesday that is designed for children but would engage all ages.
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Lent is a time shedding those things which way us down. This is a book by Jeff Shinabarger explores how much material stuff is enough. In this video you see a woman who realizes she has an excessive amount of clothing, what she decides to do, and what happens. The book also helps people examine what a life of radical generosity might look like.
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This post from Youth Worker Journal lists a number of good ideas to engage young people in the season of Lent.
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This the Church of Englands Lent Campaign for 2020. It provides: 40-day reflection booklet for adults and one for children, an app, emailed reflections reflections, and daily social media posts.
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Daily Lenten Practices, Meditations & Calendars
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Download your brackets and remember to vote each day to find out who will win the Golden Halo. On the first day the 32 saints in competition for the Golden Halo will be revealed along with a bio about each. Use these to cast your votes.
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Journey to the Cross
Sign up for the daily email of a short devotion. You can also find an app in the Apple Store or Google Play for download.
d365.org is a year round daily devotion supported by the Youth Ministries Office of The Episcopal Church, Office of Formation for the Presbyterian Church USA, and The Congregational Life Office, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.
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Available in English and Spanish and written in conjunction with
Grow Christians
. The focus of each daily mediation is on the spiritual, emotional, and physical lives of children and their growth. This free resource can be ordered in bundles of 25 to share in congregations.
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This calendar developed by the Rev'd Jenifer Gamber, author of
My Faith, My Life
, is free for download. "This Giving Calendar is intended to support an intention of being attentive to, and giving thanks for, the abundance of our lives and engaging in the practice of giving out of thanksgiving for that abundance."
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Published by
Forward Movement
, this is a daily calendar with daily spiritual reflections during Lent. Illustrated by the Rev'd Jay Sidebotham, these are a great resource to share with children, youth, adults and families in your parish.
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The information provided in this post could be used for children or youth. It has a variety of ideas and includes needed resources along scripture references. Reminding us that St. Patrick was it helps make his recorded life experiences and love of God relatable.
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This resource, geared toward younger children, works as a tangible way to talk about both St. Patrick and the Trinity. Available free for download from
Teachers Pay Teachers
could easily be recreated using a variety of resources.
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What do you know about St. Patrick?
From the Roman Catholic resource, Busted Halo, this funny video asks people on St. Patrick's Day in New York City what the know about the Saint they are celebrating!
Using this video as a guide it could be fun for a youth or children's Sunday School class to interview parishioners about who they think St. Patrick is.
*Watch ahead of time. Some of the places where people are when asked may not be suitable for younger middle schoolers and children.
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Though there can be some debate about Celtic practices and Christianity. the Celts are linked to St. Patrick and are part of his historical importance in both the world and the church. Tied to the earth and seasonally themed, there are many Celtic worship resources used in many Episcopal Churches. Many Episcopal groups travel on pilgrimage to
Iona.
It often in on an experience like a pilgrimage one might hear language rooted in Celtic spirituality being in a "thin place" or at a "threshold" or in a "liminal space".
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This post from
Guideposts
offers 4 simple ways to engage prayerfully with a labyrinth. Labyrinths are linked to many different faiths and backgrounds. Celts called them a Never Ending Circle. They are a wonderful way to teach children, young people, and adults an intentional way to pray.
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Using simple supplies, this post from
Flame: Creative Children's Ministry
is a good introduction to labyrinths for children, and probably adults too!
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Office Hours from Lifelong Formation
at VTS
Join the Lifelong Learning Christian Formation Team on Zoom Thursday afternoons via our drop-in office hours. One or two members of our team host office hours each week from 1:15-2:45 PM. Registration is required.
Thursdays from February 13 - May 7, 2020
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June 8-12, 2020
Light Our Path:
Navigating the challenges and joys of life, formation, and ministry in a setting that provides the blessing of sabbath
Would you like to join with a group of other people from around the Diocese of East Carolina to travel to Kanuga for this conference? There are also registration benefits, including a group rate if you register as part of the group.
Jennifer Arcuri
,
Director of Christian Formation at St. Andrew's on the Sound in Wilmington is serving as our group coordinator for this conference. Please contact her if you would like to be part of the group or have questions.
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SYP • JYP • AWWWY
Kanuga Empowered Youth
June 14-19, 2020
• JYP for rising 7th -9th graders (currently 6th - 8th)
• SYP for rising 10th -12th graders (currently 9th - 12th)
• AWWWY - For Adults Who Work with Youth
Click on Kanuga Key Conferences for more information and a link to registration.
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SUMMA
Student Theological Debate Society
July 21-29
University of the South in Sewanee,Tennessee
"Camp is the cornerstone of SUMMA Student Theological Debate Society, which provides a way for high school students to build their faith through intellectual channels. Founded in the confidence that knowledge and reason are foundational to faith, SUMMA offers fun, friendship, and the opportunity for a deepened and more thoughtful faith."
Camp is open to high school students entering grades 9-12 in the fall of 2020.
Want to know more? Click
HERE
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Invite • Welcome • Connect
Summit 2020
June 10 -12
Join with others around the Episcopal Church as they go deeper into the presentation Mary Parmer gave at the 137th Annual Convention.
Want more information? Click
HERE
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Happening 75 • Mar. 6-8
Parish Registration Deadline Feb. 14th
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New Beginnings 55 • Mar. 27-29
Parish Registration Deadline Feb. 25th
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July 7 -14, 2020
Diocese of Washington
University of Maryland & Washington, DC
Registration is open until
February 26th or until housing fills at the University of Maryland.
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