Youth Forum 2012

Youth Forum is over for another year. WOW! What an amazing weekend. Sacred space was created where the Youth could be inspired, reflective, be challenged and changed. 

God was at work in so many amazing ways.  But don't take my word for it, here are some comments from the evaluations completed by the youth who were there:

When asked "Where did you see or feel the presence of God this weekend?" these were just some of the responses:

    -EVERYWHERE!!!!!

    -In the Labyrinth, silent reflection, worship, home groups.

    -I felt the presence of God at the worship in the Long House and in my Home Group.

     -When we were singing

    -Everywhere, especially in all the great people

    -Throughout the whole weekend

    -Saturday night worship

    -I felt VERY connected to God this weekend

    -Everywhere, in singing, in nature, in worship . . . .everywhere!!!

    -When David led in prayer

    -when David would talk to us.

    -Nature walk

    -Worship

    -In every single person

    -In my last home group meeting, at the candle worship, and in the labyrinth

    -During candle lit worship, in others and in myself

    -walking alone outside

    -in all the friendships

    -he/she was very present all throughout this weekend in everything we did.

    -in Ricks teddy bear, every time I had a home group time I always felt like God was watching us from the bear and protecting us.

     -In silent time

     

Some of the Other reflections:

     -I`m so happy I can come back next year

    -wonderful time being here and might bring a friend that goes to church next year to Youth Forum

    -I am extremely thankful

    -I LOVE YOUTH FORUM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    -Amazing, I have never felt this strong in my faith before.

    -I`m really going to miss this next year

    -all the people here were so welcoming and nice, this was such a great experience

    -Amazing weekend, am already excited for next year

    -Nature walk!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    -"I am always waiting for someone to slip up and judge me- and it never happened"

    -I`m coming back!

    -Youth Forum was a really peaceful place to spiritually get connected to God and create friendships to last a life time.

    -Youth Forum led me to an amazing amount of reflection and peace that I had never experienced in such depth.

    -God will always be with me and help me conquer my fears thanks to Youth Forum!

As you can tell from these comments, this was a fantastic weekend.  We laughed and prayed and ate and cried and played.  This weekend happens every April for high-school aged youth, so if you weren't able to come this year make sure that you're there next time!  See what all the fuss is about for yourself!

Andy's new website

Here is Andy's form bio: 

Andrew Root is in the Olson Baalson chair as associate professor of youth and family ministry at Luther Seminary (St. Paul, MN). He is the author of The Theological Turn in Youth Ministry (with Kenda Creasy Dean, IVP, 2011), The Promise of Despair: The Way of the Cross as the Way of the Church (Abingdon, 2010), Children of Divorce: The Loss of Family as the Loss of Being (Baker Academic, 2010), Revisiting Relational Youth Ministry: From a Strategy of Influence to a Theology of Incarnation (IVP, 2007) and Relationships Unfiltered: Help for Youth Workers, Volunteers and Parents on Creating Authentic Relationships (Zondervan/YS, 2009). He has worked in congregations, para-church ministries and social service programs. He lives in St. Paul with his wife Kara, two children (Owen and Maisy), and their two dogs (Kirby and Kimmel). When not reading, writing, or teaching Andy spends far too much time watching TV and movies.

Andy has become a new voice in theology and youth ministry, making us rethink what it means to be in relationship with youth.  He has been invited to speak all over the world.  He also loves ju-jubes :)

Andrew has a new website where you can be inspired and challenged by his thoughts and writings.  I encourage everyone to take a look at www.andrewroot.org.  Besides his articles and books, you can also listen to his liveblogs. I promise it will be well worth your time!

The Good Friday Swell

The Swell is a service designed to engage high school aged youth in the worship of God and is open to people of all ages. The aim is to create a comfortable space for United Church youth to worship and is open to people from any/all denominations. The service uses elements from contemporary culture—including popular music and videos—as a springboard into the exploration of the scriptures and our rich United Church theology.


This GOOD FRIDAY the theme is the "Unger Games."  Imagine a worship service that brings together "The Hunger Games" and "Kick Ass".

Friday, April 6, 2012

Wesley-Knox United Church

91 Askin Street

London, Ontario

6:00 - Wii ON THE BIG SCREEN

7:00 - THE SWELL

9:00 - REFRESHMENTS

Hope to see you all there!

www.theswell.ca

Camping Sunday

The sun is shining, the days are longer, the flowers are blooming...winter is over and that means it is time to start thinking about CAMP!


If you are looking for ideas for a Camping Sunday Service, the 2012 service is now available at http://unitedcamping.ning.com/forum/topics/camping-sunday-service

Dates for summer camp at Kenesserie are also up and available at www.kenesserie.com start planning for your awesome camp experience now!

World Water Day

Water is life.

Today marks the UN's World Water Day.  Water is one of the major issues of our time and is likely to become even more important in the future.  People around the world and in our own country lack access to clean drinking water.

When a billion people in the world already live in chronic hunger and water resources are under pressure we cannot pretend the problem is ‘elsewhere’.

We can all help by following some simple steps:

• follow a healthier, sustainable diet;
• consume less water-intensive products;
• reduce the scandalous food wastage: 30% of the food produced worldwide is never eaten and the water used to produce it is definitively lost!

wasted food.

The average water footprint for a Canadian is 6,392 litres a day — that’s the total volume of freshwater used to produce the goods and services we consume.

Here’s the down low on H2O:
70 per cent of the world’s water is used for agriculture
1,755 litres of water required to make one sausage.
160 litres of water is used to produce one large banana
230 litres of water are used to make one 200-ml glass of apple juice.
1,040 litres of water are used for 1 kg of potato chips
50 litres of water is used to produce one tomato; about 530 litres to produce 1 kg of tomato ketchup
500 litres of water goes into producing 100 grams of cheese
1,260 litres of water goes into one margherita pizza
120 litres of water is used to make a 125-ml glass of wine
74 litres of water is used to make a 250-ml glass of beer
30 litres of water is required to grow enough tea leaves to make a single cup of tea
30 percent of the food produced worldwide is lost or wasted every year.
50 per cent reduction of food losses and waste at the global level would save 1,350 cubic kms of water a year. (By comparison, the volume of Lake Ontario is 1,640 cubic kms.)

Sources: United Nations, Canada Water Week, Water Footprint Network and One Drop. 

For more information check out: www.unwater.org/worldwaterday/

CHALLENGE: help your families plan meals for the week in a manner that will reduce food waste.  Remember that the less processed the food is the less water is used in its production.

40 Practices for Lent - Part 8

Day Thirty-six: Find ways to recognize people as children of God.  Make eye contact with the grocery store clerk.  Smile at strangers.

Day Thirty-seven: Try fasting from a different kind of hunger, consumerism.  Choose one day in Lent to prayerfully explore consumer spending habits and how often we bu more than we need.  Refrain from making purchases on that day.

Day Thirty-eight: Death is inevitably part of the Lenten journey as we tell the story of Jesus' death on the cross and find assurance of our new life we have because of the resurrection.  Take this time to remember those who have new life with God and be strengthened by the witness of their lives.  Take out photos of family and friends who have died.  Talk about these people with your family or share their stories with a friend.

Day Thirty-nine: Learn and practice the traditional practice of praying the Stations of the Cross.  Ask a friend who attends a Catholic church if you might attend a Lenten program with them that prays the stations, or visit: http://www.markdroberts.com/htmfiles/resources/stationsofthecross.htm

Day Forty: Practice resurrection.  We are the people of resurrection and hope, called to live passionately and compassionately with others, to defy death, to forgive, and to bring others back into the community, to do something that is life-giving, that fights death and needless suffering.



These are the last 5 days of Lent.  I hope that you have found some of these practices we've explored in Lent meaningful.  Peace & Joy, Nancy.

40 Practices for Lent - Part 7

Day Thirty-one: Follow your breath as it leads to God.  Simply observe your breath.  Inhale and exhale slowly, recognizing that breathing is a life sustaining and God-infused action.

Day Thirty-two: Fast. The purpose of fasting is to support our prayers and heighten our awareness of a most basic human need.  Paying attention to our hunger can help us connect to our thirst for God and the emptiness we feel.  Fast one day or one meal to join our physical needs to spiritual ones.

Day Thirty-three: Spring cleaning can be more than a way to get rid of "stuff".  Along with asking yourself "what don't I want" also practice asking "what don't I need?"  Invite God into these question and explore together a journey of letting go of the excess in your life.

Day Thirty-four: Light a candle.  Pray as it is lit "God thank you for the gift of your Light in the midst of all darkness.  Let his candle be a symbol of our faith in your presence among us."

Day Thirty-five: We follow Jesus and journey with others whose heritage has left a path before us.  Reflect on your faith journey and remember the names of those in whose footsteps you are following and who is on the road with you now.  Find a way to share with them your gratitude for journeying with you.