The year is 2000. It is the fourth of July. The place is Fonthill, Ont., my hometown. I am 16 years old. I am about to embark on a journey to become a living stone. According to 1 Peter, I have been chosen, called and crafted. In 20 minutes I will realize God’s dream for myself and about a thousand others like me.
Twenty minutes later I am in St. Catharines, Ont., trying to orient myself to Brock University’s campus where Canada Youth 2000 is beginning. Busses of teens and young adults are trying to find parking. Cars are slowly creeping around the parking lot as youth dart in and out of the traffic. The atmosphere is electric!
Fast-forward 12 years. It is July 3, 2012. The place is Fonthill, Ont. I am 28 years old. Now, like the men on the road to Emmaus, I feel on fire. In 20 minutes I will realize the power of God’s fire: the fire He set in hearts at Pentecost, the fire He set in the hearts of hundreds of youth.
Twenty minutes later, I no longer need a compass to find my way around Brock University. I’m excited to see old friends as the busses pull up from St. John’s and Vancouver. New faces dart in and out of the cars. The atmosphere is beyond electric! We are on fire for Canada Youth 2012!
They say if you truly want to understand someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. If you’ve ever walked a mile in a young person’s shoes, you might realize how excited they are about the church. Why else would 500 teens and young adults come to Canada Youth every three years? Canada Youth isn’t a boring conference with dull speakers and traditional worship. It could be, if that’s what the young people made it. But when teens start to dance in worship and shout with praise to the Lord, how could anyone sit with a starched collar and arms crossed?
Having participated in two of the three tracks during my Canada Youth experiences and doing a little growing up in between, I have seen the pure joy that the youth have for our church and its future. When I participated in the conference track way back in 2000, I didn’t quite know what to expect. Could there really be a place for young people in MY church? What on earth does face painting and basketball have to do with God?
I no longer ask those questions. I know the answers. I could give you the long version about how face painting involves trust that the person painting your face is going to actually do what you ask them to do. I could explain to you that face painting at Canada Youth is a visible symbol of one’s love for God. I might even go on to tell you that basketball involves teamwork and communication, vital skills for any Presbyterian committee. But I’d prefer to give you the short answer: It’s fun.
Our young people today are often looking for a safe place to be themselves, to try weird and wacky things without the possibility of being judged. They are looking for a safe place to be Christian. They are looking for friendship and guidance. Canada Youth offers more than that. It offers them a chance to expand; a chance to feel powerful; a chance to be on fire with God’s love.
This year the theme was “On Fire” based on The Message version of Luke 24:32. And on fire we were! From dawn until dusk (and even after dusk) the teens were jumping and singing and praising. Beginning each day at the “fire pit,” we were woken up by Jenn Geddes and Eric Dillenbeck leading us through a series of energizers. Progressing through fast-paced, high-energy action songs, we praised and prayed as one large group.
After the pit, we commissioned each track: conference, mission and youth ministry training. The conference track participants met for plenary where they learned a Bible story lesson and watched a video which related to the story and their lives today. After, they headed off to their workshops and small groups. Through crafts, games, stories and prayer they learned how God is working in their lives in relation to the day’s message.
Once blessed, the mission track participants headed out for a day of mission work. The 50 members of this group worked as a team on various projects. Through hands-on experience, Matt Foxall led this group into the mission field to show the power of Christ’s love in action to those who needed an extra smile. From what I hear, the mission track is an amazing experience, and may just be the most rewarding track at Canada Youth.
Lastly, the youth ministry training track participants headed off to seminars that were anything but dreary. Led by Rev. Blair Bertrand, my track found reason to laugh, learn and laugh some more. Both in the morning and then in small group sessions during the afternoon, we discovered different ways of engaging with youth and how to meet their needs in our ever changing culture.
After dinner, we congregated in the gym for worship. One of my favorite sounds is Christians joined in song; whether it be two or three or 1,500, praise sung to the heavens is a beautiful noise. Through song, drama, scripture, message, dance and more, our Lord was praised with shouts of joy.
To end our days, everyone gathered together for fun events in the courtyard. Crazy Olympic events such as pool noodle tag and shoe kick, showing off amazing talent at a coffeehouse, and of course a dance are not uncommon sights at a Canada Youth event, and 2012 didn’t fail!
Finally, this year we were blessed to have the Rev. Dr. John Vissers, our moderator, join us not just for one day, not just for two days, but for the whole week! To see and know that the church as a whole believes that our young people are the church was wonderful. To be sent forth by our moderator means more than you may realize to the youth.
The year is 2015. The month is July. I know where I will be. Do you?
Br>
More reflections from Canada Youth 2012
