The winter and spring of 2014 offer a wealth of opportunities for middle and high school age youth to engage with their faith through mission, retreats and fellowship. Registration for all of these events is online at http://www.diomassyouth.org/
The diocesan Office of Youth Ministry is committed to ensuring that these programs are available to everyone, and there are scholarships available for all of these events. Scholarship applications are available on each event page.
High School Retreat – Feb. 7-9
Space is still available at the 2014 Diocesan High School Retreat. Ninth through twelfth graders can come enjoy the beautiful mid-winter outdoors at the Barbara C. Harris Camp and Conference Center in Greenfield, N.H., and meet youth and adults from all over the diocese. There will be small group workshops, large group games, worship with the live band The LivingStones and time away from the stress of everyday life, allowing participants to pay a little more attention to the Spirit.
Winter Camp – Feb. 17-22
Teens in grades 7-9 will come together for a week of winter at the Barbara C. Harris Camp and Conference Center. Alessia Doss, Camp Director, and Sam Gould, Director of Youth Ministry, will team together to create a week filled with fun, outdoor camp activities mixed with faith formation, small group workshops and leadership development. Teens from across the diocese are invited to get away from the distractions of everyday life and spend time meeting new friends, hanging out with old ones, singing, dancing and exploring thoughts and beliefs in a welcoming Christian community.
Youth Mission Experience – April 21-26
New this year, the Office of Youth Ministry is offering an opportunity for mission in New York City. This April school vacation mission trip will focus on working with people who are homeless and hungry, in partnership with groups throughout the city. All of the projects focus on building relationships with the individuals involved. The work includes preparing and serving meals in soup kitchens, providing recreational activities and companionship to formerly homeless children, distributing food and supplies at food pantries and socializing and delivering snacks to people in drop-in centers. There is the potential for longer in-depth projects such as painting a new shelter, in participation with its residents. This is a chance for youth to have a transformative mission experience, without the investment of time, money and resources a parish needs to plan a mission trip on its own.
Episcopal Youth Event – July 8-13
The Episcopal Youth Event is held once every three years and is attended by more than 1,500 young people from across the Episcopal Church. This is an opportunity to experience the church on a global level. The event community gathers regularly as a large group for worship, program, music and media. Participants also meet daily in an ongoing small group. A variety of other activities, such as carnivals, forums, workshops, sports and free time help to round out the schedule. The Office of Youth Ministry is seeking youth leaders currently in grades 9-12, as well as adult mentors, to represent the Diocese of Massachusetts. Applications are now available.
Registration for all of these events is available on the Youth Ministry Web site. Contact Sam Gould (sgould@diomass.org) with any questions.