Loading...The first Rim Parishes youth event was held on April 5-6, 2013 at Hope Church, Manheim.
We had in attendance six youth from the Rim Parishes, three youth leaders (Marielle Donahue, Alec Tallman, and Sophia Reeder), Fr. Patrick Collins, the Rev. Robyn Szoke-Coolidge, the Rev. John Emmert, John Shirley, Dave Koons, Joann Steffy, and Beth Runkle. This event was as much an activity for our youth as it was training for the youth leaders from the Rim Parishes. The event started at 6:00 p.m. with an activity led by Dave, Marielle and Alec to ‘break the ice’ with the youth while Robyn spoke with Jo and Beth (Rim Parish youth leaders for Hope Church and St. Pauls-Columbia). Afterwards we reconvened and watched one session of a video together entitled “Power of Youth - Rodger Nishioka on Being Visionaries and Prophets”
Then Fr. Patrick led the youth outside for some evening activity to release some of their extra energy. A rousing game of capture the flag was played! Once back inside there was opportunity for some snacking, conversation and music provided by the Rev. John Emmert. The youth were broken down into two groups and challenged to make bridges out of cardboard. They were quite inventive and accepted it with an exuberance that only young people would show that late in the evening. We then went over to the chapel for evening prayer. It began with silent meditation and then was led by Fr. Patrick and the youth. It ended with some additional silent meditation. Then it was back to the parish house and we were all off to our various sleeping quarters for the evening.
Saturday morning the youth were up by 8:00 a.m. and led over to the chapel graveyard by Fr. Patrick where they proceeded to make rubbings of some of the gravestones. While they were gone, we were again joined by Fr. Emmert, as well as John Shirley and Sophia Reeder. Upon the youth’s return from their outside activities, they were provided breakfast and the opportunity to talk with each about the upcoming day’s activities. The youth were then given the opportunity to review some more sessions of the ‘Power of Youth’ video while Jo and Beth were provided some additional training from the youth leaders on the perspective of youth ministry from the youth’s point of view. This information was very beneficial and appreciated since it will have to provide direction for Jo and Beth. We then were invited to join the youth as they presented to the adults what they wanted to do as a youth group. Some of the activities included: more lock-ins/weekend activities, Maundy Thursday lock-in, visiting barbeque (one parish hosts with other ‘visiting’), Youth Rim VBS (possibly to be held Summer of 2014), development of a T-shirt, group discount at an amusement park. The youth scheduled their next lock-in to be held May 3-4, 2013 at Hope Church. A theme has not yet been decided. Another activity will include a pool party in August.
Lunch was then served and provided some more time for the group to discuss what they liked and what we could do to improve such events. We ended our lock-in with a prayer service which was led by Robyn and Fr. Patrick and with Fr. Emmert leading us in music with his guitar. This service allowed the participants to share information about something that was special to them. Some of the youth were very moved by this and spoke from their hearts to the group. We departed around 1:00 p.m. with much joy and anticipation for our next Rim Parish Youth Event which is scheduled for May 3-4, 2013 at Hope Church.
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