PRINCE ALBERT — The Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund (PWRDF) — or Alongside Hope as it’s now called — sponsored a conference in Saskatchewan for youth leaders across the province. They gathered at the Quest Camp in Christopher Lake for two-and-a-half days in late October.
Each day started and ended with Gospel-Bbsed Discipleship. The gospel text for the day is read three times and after each reading participants are given a question. This leads to engaged conversations with those present.
First reading question: What word(s), idea(s), or phrase(s) stand out for you?
Second reading question: What is Jesus (the Gospel) saying to you?
Third reading question: What is Jesus (the Gospel) calling you to do?
The keynote speaker was Dot Gosling from the Diocese of Liverpool, England. She is a youth specialist and taught Christian Youth Work for 13 years. She opened the conference with the question, “Why we need to teach good theology to people?”
When I asked to see an agenda for the conference, I was told there was no agenda as they would give their talk when the spirit moved them. The next speaker was Bishop Helen Kennedy, Diocese of Qu’Appelle. Her topic was a theology reflection on how society can influence us, as an example in the movies we watch. The movie they watched was called “Uglies.”
Another presenter was Megan Kelley, a music leader, singer, songwriter from St. Thomas, Rocanville. She spoke on contemporary and traditional music, starting off in prayer before worship. She graduated from the Prairie Bible College and is doing an internship in Alberta this year.
The Rev. Brody Albers, priest in St. Christopher’s Church, Christopher Lake and the Diocese of Saskatchewan’s youth minister, talked about using liturgy in youth ministry. Brody has led successful youth retreats and canoe trips in the diocese and has gradually built up a number of youth groups and young adult groups.
Another speaker from the diocese was the Rev. Dixie Bird who was ordained as a priest last year. She is the priest at Holy Trinity Church in Prince Albert and is involved in various projects at the National Church level. She spoke on the problems facing Indigenous youths.
Su McLeod, youth engagement co-ordinator with PWRDF, also addressed the group. Su was a student of Dot’s when she was teaching Christian youth work in England.
Dot closed the talks with a look at generational worship.
Unfortunately, I only dropped in for breakfast on the second day of talks to meet everyone and take some pictures. Luckily, the Rev. Ted Williams came that afternoon and was able to share what he heard from some of the speakers.
In her presentation, the Rev. Dixie Bird spoke of her childhood growing up on a reserve and the obstacles she faced. There are two different roads to take in your journey, and through the support of mentors and the church, she found herself in a position to work with the youths on the reserve.
Su McLeod introduced them to an exercise where they identified all the ministries in a church and how they can see them as a way to involve youth ministry. For example, a knitting club doesn’t necessarily have to be just adults.
The closing talk was from Dot on intergenerational worship. She noted that it is possible to initiate new ministries by focusing on contact and engagement. Intergenerational ministry is not using kids in a token way but including them in the overall service. Perhaps a service in a church hall on a Sunday night. The purpose isn’t specifically to boost attendance but to engage people. There would be no expectation of increasing Sunday attendance but over the years you might see the church grow.
Ted feels that through listening to each other we can mediate our desire for social transformation — justice — with the gospel.
