Last Call
:
High School Retreat 2020
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Registration is now open for the
2020 High School Retreat
weekend (Friday to Sunday, February 7-9, 2020), at the Barbara C. Harris Camp and Conference Center in Greenfield, NH.
The retreat's theme, chosen by the Diocesan Youth Council (DYC), is
Our World; Our Future...
and will encourage retreatants to consider God's invitation to us all to join in the divine work of creating a better world.
Led by the DYC, the weekend features small group workshops, indoor and outdoor games, worship to get everyone moving and thinking, lively music, and some much needed time away from the rush of everyday routines in order to pay more attention to the Spirit of God in our lives.
Scholarship support is available, as is bus transportation. Registration closes when capacity is reached, or on February 2.
Downloadable flyer
available.
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EYE20
Episcopal Youth Event 2020
July 7-11, 2020
Washington, DC
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Every three years, young people from across The Episcopal Church come together for an international gathering of worship, workshops, exploration, and fun. The 2020 Episcopal Youth Event (EYE20) will be held in partnership with the Washington National Cathedral and the Episcopal Diocese of Washington July 7-11, 2020.
The deadline to register as part of the Diocese of Massachusetts delegation is
February 10, 2020
and more information can be found
here.
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Applications Open Now!
Pre-Confirmation Retreats are a chance for young people of the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts to meet other young people discerning their call to Confirmation, or even just the faith journey in general. The retreats do not try to sum up a year’s worth of classes in one overnight, but we do try to give all who come a feeling for how making a commitment to one’s faith can be lived out not only in church, but in the world and in every part of our day. One of our bishops will join us on each retreat.
The Retreats are led by the members of the Diocesan Youth Council, 10th-12th graders who see part of their leadership and ministry as welcoming all the youth attending retreats, leading small groups, and giving reflections on their own spiritual journeys. They look forward to getting to know you all!
Pre-Confirmation Retreats are held at the Barbara C. Harris Camp and Conference Center, and there are two weekends (
March 20-21
and
April 3-4
)
to choose from. Get in touch with the Youth Missioner, the
Rev. H. Mark Smith,
for more information.
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Kids4Peace January Opportunities
On
Monday, January 20th, MLK Jr. Day,
Kids4Peace Boston invites current 7th-12th graders to experience interfaith social justice and leadership in action during the
K4PB Open House and Climate Change Project.
This is a perfect time for youth to get to know K4PB and test out a fun meeting with the K4PB community!
Find details and sign up here
by Wednesday, January 15
or email
ati@kids4peaceboston.org
.
K4PB also welcomes groups, so please let them know if you would be interested in organizing a group to attend.
On
Sunday, January 26,
K4PB invites current 6th-8th graders and a parent/guardian to attend the
K4PB Peace Leader Camp Information Session.
During the weeklong overnight camp in New Hampshire, from August 2 - 9, 2020, youth build their skills in interfaith peace leadership, develop diverse friendships, and have lots of fun. This information session is a great way to learn more about the fun and meaningful experiences that occur at camp! Families interested in attending the info session can
find details and sign up here
,
or email Camp Director Megan Hopkins at
megan@kids4peaceboston.org
with questions.
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Youth Worker Survey 2020
As we move into the new decade, the Office of Youth Ministry is looking to get a sense of how youth ministry is happening across the diocese, and how we can best help support you.
We ask that you take a minute to fill out this survey to let us know what youth ministry looks like in your congregation. Whether you're a priest or a parent, a lay leader or a youth leader, we want to hear from you!
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There's still time to join us on our Faith In Action Pilgrimage to the Arizona/Mexico border this summer! Spread the word to any 9th-12th graders who may be interested.
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Resources for Youth Ministry
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Though the new year has just begun, Ash Wednesday is right around the corner (February 26!) and it’s already time to start planning for Lent. Here are a few ideas that may be helpful in planning your Lenten curriculum and programming.
Lent and Ash Wednesday are a great time to focus on bringing young people into a more full participation in worship. Because Ash Wednesday and many Holy Week services fall outside the standard church schedule, young people and families might not be expected show up at all. However, as the Rev. Rebecca Kirkpatrick writes in a thoughtful and moving
article
on the topic, “I continue to believe … that when we include children in these unique ritual moments they form a stronger connection with the community, with their tradition and with their own faith. It is by hearing, touching, tasting and experiencing these signs of grace and love that they are able to identify them as their own.”
Though there is certainly a time and place to give children, teenagers, and young adults their own spaces for faith and community formation, the period from Ash Wednesday through Lent and Holy Week are central to our faith and offer the opportunity to grieve and celebrate together as a community. In fact, as Cindy Spencer
writes
for episocpalchurch.org, “we do Lent [together] because our children deserve to practice hard things. Not alone, always together. But that in doing so, we are equipping them with the Gospel message of hope and resilience. We are trusting them with the story, even the hard parts. And together, through the journey of Lent, we are able to travel on to Easter joy.”
You may also have started hearing conversations about what people are “giving up for Lent.” Lenten disciplines are fairly common practice, and fasting, sacrifice, and self-denial can be powerful spiritual tools. However, focusing a discipline around “giving something up” without space for reflection can lead to feelings of inadequacy, frustration, and anxiety.
It is also important to be aware of the ways in which diet-focused Lenten disciplines can have subtle ties to diet culture and disordered eating, particularly for young people. This is not to say that young people should be discouraged from committing to a Lenten discipline, simply that there should be care, thought, and support for them every step of the way. Discuss alternate forms of fasting, such as reducing social media, making time to journal or meditate, or committing to a certain amount of volunteer work. For more support, check out Lisa Brown’s
list of questions to talk through
with young people in preparing for Lent, and familiarize yourself with
the warning signs of eating disorders.
There is a balance to strike here, between trusting young people to handle the difficult themes of suffering and death that we find during Lent and Holy Week, and supporting them through the entire process. Finding that balance can be difficult work, but we hope that the work will bring your congregation to Easter morning as an even stronger community.
For more ideas and resources, check out
Talking Shop
,
our re-vamped resources blog!
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Please note: The unsubscribe link below will remove you automatically from other diocesan mailing lists.
If you would like to be removed from the Youth Ministry News distribution, but continue to receive other communications, please e-mail
the Rev. H. Mark Smith.
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