As culture at large shifts away from Christendom, an event like Canada Youth is energizing and inspiring for all who are a part of it. It emanates the light of the present through compelling worship and fun activities. It establishes hope for the future through community outreach and connections with passionate people of faith. And its biblical and theological roots keep us connected to our Presbyterian heritage.
What a wonderful opportunity for international visitors to experience one of the biggest parties in our church! Hosting international guests isn’t just a way to show off how much fun we can have together or how lively our youth are. It’s an important statement about our values. By hosting global guests, we show that we’re not only dedicated to sending people to help in our partner countries, but to bringing people to help us as well. We show that we value intercultural dialogue. We also demonstrate our belief in ecumenism and mutuality. New things will be offered and learned from both our international and Canadian participants.
Though we cannot guarantee what our guests from Taiwan, India, and Hungary took away from the conference, we can hope that they experienced hospitality, Presbyterian passion for community and Canadian kindness. We can continue to do our best to be open to their insights and value their presence so we can all feel included in the body of Christ.
