Love + Serve: Summer Youth Trip 2023
by the Rev. Erin Pickersgill,
Ministry Developer for Children & Youth Ministry
“It’s like Jesus is here, smiling, so happy that young people care about serving others,” one youth said after we shared the Eucharist together on Tuesday night.
Another reflected, “I can definitely tell Jesus is with us, with all of us here.”
Our altar: an upturned cardboard box in the center of our circle, covered with one of our trip’s logoed t-shirts. Our paten and chalice: items we found from the cupboard. God makes everything holy. Even teenagers. Even us.
Katie Gregston, youth and children’s worker at Emmanuel Episcopal Church, and I led a 13 youth-strong trip to partner with LifeWiseStL, June 19-21. Roughly half the middle and high schoolers who attended were from Emmanuel and half were from other parishes in the Diocese: St. Timothy’s, Hope Episcopal, Church of the Advent, and others. We stayed in LifeWise’s accommodations and during the day we did projects to help them run their community outreach schools and camps.
During our first evening together, we had a really special time with Bishop Deon Johnson, who came and shared how impossible it is to be a Christian all on one’s own - we need others to love and others to love us. Guided by Bishop Deon, we anointed each other's hands for service for the following few days.
We worked hard washing the vans (inside and out!) that LifeWiseStL uses to pick children up for their programs, we sanitized toys, double bagged paper shopping bags, decanted laundry soap into smaller bags, and sorted through clothes. Katie and I were so proud of the youth of this diocese; they did us all proud and were excellent representatives of the Episcopal Diocese of Missouri.
Ted Drewes cooled us off one afternoon! And we had time, too, to have fun together playing games, making bracelets, and sharing meals.
For many of the young people, this was their first time on a trip like this! They bonded with each other quickly, making new friends and being brave in their new experiences. One youth reflected how much it meant that their church community and peer group love them just as they are.
Some of my favorite moments were when we gathered for morning prayer and compline each day. The youth eagerly volunteered to take on parts and they engaged beautifully in prayer. What a joy it is to teach young people how to pray; to listen to them pray; to pray with them; to sense God inhabited in their hearts, concerns, and passions.
In our final session with LifeWiseStL, the youth were inspired and challenged to not wait until they are “old enough” to make big changes in their communities and the world. From them we heard of their visions for earth care, gun sense legislation, and food injustice. Let’s pray for the youth of the Diocese of Missouri; let’s support them practically when they take the lead, following Christ, in bringing God’s kingdom.
Katie and I conclusively agree that this trip was a huge success. The next year holds so many more opportunities for youth to engage with God in community, in prayer, in service and in joy.
If you’d like to be on a children, youth and families mailing list - to hear of these events as soon as they are announced, called The Collaborative - please email me, Erin Pickersgill at [email protected].
Love + Serve: Summer Youth Trip 2023
Tags: News / Children and Youth Ministries