Plus this fabulous new website has comments enabled, so it can be the start of a conversation!
Here’s what we’ll do. I’ll share my three highlights of the weekend, and then a few other thoughts, and then you can all add your three highlights, and any other comments/concerns underneath. Deal?
So, three highlights (in no particular order and recognising that I could pick many, many more):
YWS Intensive with Kenda Creasy Dean
This year’s ‘early day’ was properly brilliant. I’m an unashamed KCD-fanboy and so a day spent learning at her feet was always going to be a joy. But Friday exceeded all expectations. Drawing on her research as part of the American study into the faith of teenagers, she unpacked the great religious trend of our time (moral therapeutic deism), before outlining what makes faith in teenagers stick. It was an utterly essential day for those of us passionate about building faith in young people and a brilliant start to the weekend. For those of you who missed it, the event was live-blogged here and the audio will be available to download shortly.
Andy Hawthorne
Not only is Andy Hawthorne a Manchester legend, but he’s also a youth work legend. Andy got handed the unenviable post-lunch slot, but woke everyone out of their pizza comas by turning it up to 11 and reminding everyone of the importance of placing evangelism firmly at the centre of our youth ministry. In a day full of new ideas and things to think about, Mr Hawthorne took us firmly back to our roots in the Great Commission.
The LGBT discussion
If we’re honest, tackling the questions raised by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender young people at the Summit was long overdue. Rev Rachel Mann and Andrew Marin shared their experiences and expertise, but it was the two stories shared by young people that grounded the reality of this question. Alex and Dan, two young people, spoke with honesty and passion about their experiences in church as transgender and gay young people respectively. The room was left with the kind of holy discomfort that comes when you hear the negative impact the church can have on young lives. It was an essential 45 minutes that was the only the start of an ongoing conversation.
I could share many more highlights: Meg Cannon’s insightful and passionate monologue looking at the lives of teenage girls, Rev Chris Russell’s plea not to spread a gospel of happiness, Sarah Percival unpacking ‘Shabbat’ in the twenty-first century, as well as Shane Claiborne and Duffy Robbins.
The day explored the idea of ‘opening up’, and no one left without having been exposed to new ideas or areas in youth ministry. It was challenging, affirming, inspiring and ultimately hopeful. Videos from the day are available at www.youthworksummit.com and the day is recapped at www.ywslive.com.
So what about you? What were your reflections and highlights? Comment below – it’s what that box is there for!
