The morning started off with a thick fog covering the campus. It was fun to wander around that morning before everyone else was up, the campus silent and muffled, with only myself and my friend James walking around taking photos.
At the youth ministry branch we got to listen to Andy Root again. He is an amazing speaker, knows what he’s talking about and just makes sense! If you ever have a chance to hear him speak do it. It’s well worth it.
But the thing yesterday that stuck out for me was during the afternoon session with Mark Yaconelli. He lead us as a group in an interesting form of prayer where we allowed our minds to reach back and think about a time where we experienced a sacred moment, then prayed into that moment. Almost as if we were re-living that moment, allowing God to speak to us anew from that point in time.
The space in which my small group meets is the library at the Concordia Lutheran Seminary, which is attached to Brock University and are graciously allowing us to use that space during Canada Youth. As a room, it’s nothing very interesting overall. However, it’s the contents of the library that draws me in (and the wonderful musty smell of old books). I was able to wander the stacks today, and my attention was drawn to several locked glass cabinets. These were old books, lots of volumes. Then I looked at the label on the doors … these were some of the writings of Martin Luther (not the original writ of Luther, but others who copied his work). The earliest date was 1729.
I never realized how many people at CY are from my own synod until we gathered in the evening to talk amongst ourselves. I got to thinking about the numbers in the room we were all gathered in, and realized that only a small amount of those actually attend Presbyterian Young People’s Society events. Hopefully after CY this will change. (Remember: PYPS Fall Convention: Electric Jesus, Oct 16-18, 2009!)!
It’s fun to sing, dance, and clap loudly to “Guide Me O Thou Great Redeemer.”
