IN THE FIRST chapter of Jeremiah, the prophet declares: "Do not say, 'I am only a youth;' for you shall go to all to whom I send you, and you shall speak whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, says the Lord." Jer. 1:7-8

This summer, I had an experience that really changed me and how I see the world. I was a part of the Cape Breton Mission trip that was organized by the Presbytery of London. A year or more of planning went into the 10-day trip that took place from July 25 to August 3. We took 29 people – youth and adults – from three different London-area churches and got on a bus to go and make a difference in Cape Breton.

MY HEART started to beat a little faster as I sat in the meeting listening to the presenter. I could feel beads of sweat forming on my brow and flashes of me updating my resume and cleaning out my desk at national offices crossed my mind. The topic of discussion: Why short team mission trips don't matter. Being the Youth in Mission Co-ordinator for the Presbyterian Church in Canada and a person whose livelihood is based around sending short-term mission teams, you can forgive my nervousness and desire to yell "heresy" at the presenter. Even though I had always had nagging suspicions in the back of my mind whether what I was doing was really having a lasting impact, I could always point to a few success stories to ease my conscience.

THE MISSION to Gautier, Mississippi was the most amazing experience. Those 10 days were the most challenging, yet rewarding of my life. I cannot even begin to describe the overwhelming emotion I felt when visiting the coast or talking with the homeowners of the house we were working in. For them everyday is a constant reminder of what they lost and the pain they endured. Sometimes living in a trailer in your backyard for two years can cause you to lose hope.

I REMEMBER watching my sister pack for camp: bathing suit, sleeping bag and flashlight all disappearing inside her suitcase. I was too shy to attend camp and was not fond of the dark or anything creepy crawly, but I always regretted not going. So imagine my surprise when at 25 I found myself packing my own suitcase for camp! While my artistic abilities are limited to googly eyes and glitter and my nature abilities include a keen knack for getting lost, the new Missions Animator position at Camp Geddie was an exciting prospect because a Youth in Mission trip to Nicaragua in 1999 had begun a lifelong passion for travel and volunteering.

There are many ways to get involved in mission locally and abroad. Hear are some quick suggestions. Find out what your local congregation is doing […]

Learn, Do, Go A short mission can change your life. by Reuben St. Louis Gifts and Talents Mission is as simple as reaching out to […]

Radical disciples. Counter-cultural prophets. Teenagers.

Neil George is a remarkable young man. At the age of 16, this Honour Roll student who recently graduated from Lindsay Place High School, Pointe-Claire, […]

What does it mean to be a Presbyterian? I've had that question in my head for a while now. A little over a year ago I researched a thesis for sociology class at school: Christian teens are less likely to engage in at-risk behaviour. It was an interesting project, and the presentation went well, but things always get a little harder when the teacher asks, “Does anyone have any questions for Erin?”

I grew up Presbyterian. My mom made sure my sister and I went to church every week, and participated in Sunday school and the junior choir. As I got older, I continued to attend St. Andrew's, Cobourg, Ont., and am an active churchgoer.

You could say that I've worked in youth ministry for over a decade. That's not entirely accurate, though. A decade ago, I was a youth. Yes, I was involved in youth ministry, but it was more about being involved with the church and hanging out with people my own age. Today, I work for the church, still spending a lot of my time with young people. I'm not sure that makes me a professional. But development is a good thing, so when I had the opportunity to attend the Princeton Forum on Youth Ministry at the beginning of May, I jumped at it.

I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year, “Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown.” He said “Put your hand into the hand of God; it shall be to you better than a light, and safer than the known way.”