Presbyterian Youth Connection at University Presbyterian Church

The 2009 Acapella Warm Up

2009-12-09T14:50:00.000-05:00

Our youth did an amazing job of planning the Acapella Warm Up! This event had around 300 participants, 5 acapella groups (plus one with a guitar), food for all, and amazing decor. The youth raised awareness by reading facts about homelessness and poverty, motivating those in attendance to give even more. One high schooler even dumped the entire contents of his wallet into the basket at the end of the show noting how important this cause is in Chapel Hill. The efforts of PYC raised more than $1200 in one night. The silent auction canvasses will likely raise over $500. By Christmas eve, PYC may near $2000 to purchase blankets for the homeless and coats for teenagers living in poverty in Chapel Hill. More than the money and awareness raised this weekend, our youth learned the value of organizing themselves in service to others. Our SEED committee assigned tasks, created volunteer slots, arrived at school to pass out fliers, used social media to publicize, included community groups in the event, and made sure other PYC youth were involved. All their hard work paid off when they saw THEIR event come together and actually raise money for the cause. I'm so proud of our youth and their work for this service project. It may just become an annual thing. See the video montage of the Acapella Warm Up here:

Committed Communities Called into Covenant

2009-10-28T14:05:00.002-04:00

Call. Covenant. Commitment. Community. Change. Those five words dominated the keynote messages at this weekend's New Hope Presbytery High School Retreat. Rev. Christopher Edmondston from Tarboro Presbyterian Church challenged our youth and the choices they make regarding the communities they choose to be a part of. Christopher drove home the point that youth can be a part of making great change in the world but only if they are part of communities that are called and committed to live in covenant with one another. Answering God's call in the world can't be done alone and it certainly can't be done without committment and community among God's people. And a community built without covenant will not stand. This was a powerful message for our youth and really made them think about the choices they make when it comes to the communities they choose to be a part of. Are these the people God is calling me to be in covenant with? Are they living in covenantal trust with me? Are we committed to one another fully? It gave us much to think about on the ride home. Sunday morning, our group committed to wake up early and watch the sun rise over the Pamlico Sound. While the sky was lovely, being out on the end of a pier in the quiet early morning was one of the greatest gifts we were given that weekend. We yawned, laughed, read scripture, took photos, and just spent time being with one another and with God. This time of quiet spent in creation and in community was truly Sabbath. We took time apart, extra time, time that was not in the retreat schedule, to be with one another and to listen for God moving in the wind and water. Even though the weekend was filled with energizers, music, games, and dance parties; and the rest of our Sunday was filled with telling new friends goodbye, a long van trip home, lunch at Subway and later, a nap; our Sabbath was kept holy by setting time apart to be with God in a called, covenantal, committed, community of faith right there on the end of that pier on the Pamlico Sound. Perhaps the first change we will see is in ourselves as we strive to live out the basic command of honoring and keeping Sabbath holy. Pictures to follow soon!

It's Corn-fusion!

2009-10-14T10:41:00.001-04:00

PYC at the Corn Maze on October 4th, 2009

Good Stewards of our Talents

2009-10-14T10:38:00.001-04:00

This Sunday I had an energetic meeting with a committee of youth who have volunteered to work on a proposal for the SEED grant from the Pilgrimage. These youth are incredibly thoughtful, realistic, detail oriented, and forward thinking. We discussed what good we might do with a $500 grant that could have an impact on homelessness and poverty related issues in our community as well as gain church and community involvement and support. The proposal going to the Pilgrimage and before our church committees and Session consists of 3 parts:

Part 1: They will use the grant money to purchase canvasses which will then be passed out to various groups and individuals within the congregation. These groups will create art based on how they see God. The canvasses will then be part of a silent auction that will kick off the night of Part 2 and run through Advent ending on Christmas Eve.

Part 2: the Acappella Warm-Up. This Acappella concert will hopefully include musical groups from their high schools, UNC, and individual groups of high school students. There would be a suggested donation to attend. During the show, the youth would read facts about homelessness and poverty in the Chapel Hill community helping to make the attendees more aware of the realities this community face.

Part 3: The money raised by the Acappella Warm-Up and the Silent Auction will go toward the purchase of coats and blankets for those who are cold this winter.

Our youth have taken notice of individuals living in the woods at 15-501 without warm blankets or sleeping bags and are also well aware of other teenagers who come to school in the dead of winter with only a long sleeved shirt. Our incredible youth not only have a warm coat to wear but usually wear a new coat each winter reflecting the latest styles. They take their seriously the responsibility that comes with being part of the "haves".

Our SEED committee mobilized quickly and began creating to-do lists and delegating tasks. They brainstormed how to get others involved that aren't members of UPC, they began thinking about how to advertise using the internet. They are energized and excited about using their talents to help others. Our youth are incredibly musical and they understand that their voice and talents are gifts from God. They jump at the chance to use what they have to make a difference in their community. In this season of stewardship, these youth are leading by example and sharing their time and talents for God's purpose, not their own. While the youth wait for Session approval, they are working to lay groundwork for this project and I have no doubt that these amazing, dedicated teens will make it a success!

Guided by the Spirit

2009-09-22T13:43:00.001-04:00

"By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. And those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit."
Galatians 5:22-25 -- NRSV

How do we incorporate these fruits into our daily life? Which is easiest to practice? What does it mean to live by the Spirit and be guided by the Spirit? What are we being asked to do in these verses? Are we actually doing it?

These are the questions our youth wrestled with on Sunday night at PYC. Our high schoolers made a great analogy: We "live" by the Spirit in the same way that we live by food...it sustains us, gives us energy, makes us well. We are guided by the Spirit in that we are taught how to relate with others, the Spirit guides our words and actions so that we might live peaceably with one another. Our middle schoolers talked about how it is so easy to do all of these with people that we know and love. It is much more difficult to show these fruits when we don't like someone or don't want to be around them. We sometimes don't want to be guided by the Spirit...but it doesn't mean we shouldn't try.

After discussion, two groups of high schoolers and two groups of middle schoolers created paper "fruits" to be used in a challenge. Each team had to get their entire team from the "Church" on one side of the youth center out into the "World" on the other side of the youth center standing only the Fruits of the Spirit. The group had 2 less fruits than they had people. They had to be stepping on a fruit at all times or it was taken away.

Amid the cheering, chanting, clapping, and squealing of this challenge, many connections to the real world were made. The groups worked together and made many analogies to the real world. When the fruits were too far apart to take a step, they reached out a hand and supported one another on the long leap. The youth had to constantly pay attention to the ones behind and in front of them before taking a step. making sure their teammates had the fruits underfoot before moving ahead. The high schoolers were first to take on the challenge. The middle schoolers watched intently and cheered for the high schoolers as they finished and got all team members across the finish line. When the middle schoolers began, they did it in the exact same way as the high schoolers. There were many ways to accomplish this challenge, but the younger ones took every cue from our older youth, such as in life.

Our youth learned that relying only on the Fruits of the Spirit would be nearly impossible: They must rely on each other as well. The gifts of the Fruits of the Spirit are only relevant as we live in community with one another and mean very little if practiced alone. Our youth are actively striving to be guided by the Spirit; to see God working in their lives and in the lives of their friends.

"But what happens when we live God's way? He brings gifts into our lives much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard - things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We fins ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely." - The Message

The Miracle of Potlucks

2009-09-14T15:24:00.001-04:00

I always get nervous about Potluck Dinners. Always. I always worry that there will not be enough food. I always worry that the first few people will take too much leaving nothing for the last in line. Always. After 28 years of attending church potlucks and seeing with my own two eyes that there is always enough food, I always have little faith that the portions will work out.

Oh, me of little faith...

Last night at the PYC kickoff family potluck, families arrived bringing casseroles, pasta, pizza, BBQ, salads, fruits...a HUGE spread. Even after seeing all of the food, I reminded the youth not too take too much so the last in line would have enough food to eat. Needless to say, there was more than enough food to go around. There were even leftovers for folks to take home.

Potlucks just have a way of working out. Maybe it's because each family brings a little extra to give. Maybe it's because every person takes a slightly smaller portion than they would at home. Maybe some sort of heavenly miracle takes place that we aren't aware of. Who knows? But something amazing happens when we bring what we have and share it completely with others, without reservation, without greed and with as much grace as we can muster. Whether it's fruit salad or fruits of the spirit, we usually end up with a little something to take back home with us.

After another miracle potluck dinner, the youth headed to the youth center to do a brief study of Matthew 25:31-45 including the familiar text from verses 35, 36, and 40, "for I was hungry and you gave me food; I was thirsty and you gave me drink; I was a stranger and you took me in; I was naked and you clothed me; I was sick and you visited me; I was in prison and you came to me. Inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these my Brethren, you did it to Me." The youth were asked to brainstorm ideas for a grant proposal with The Pilgrimage's SEEDs Program that would in some way help the homeless or address poverty related issues locally. They came up with amazing brainstorming ideas!

Use the $500 grant to raise more money for a larger project. Use our ASP skills to help make some repairs to our local homeless shelter. Host a benefit concert to raise more money for other homelessness projects. Donate proceeds from one night of the Dinner Theater Youth Musical to the Interfaith Council. Teach an art class or two for people who are homeless then have an art show, selling their art with the proceeds going back to the artists. Use the $500 to make sure that homeless children have Christmas gifts.

These youth are taking it seriously! We have a small team put together to help organize these ideas into what will be feasible for our group.

As I reflected on their energy to give and work and do unto the least of these, I couldn't help but wonder what would happen if we approached service projects in the same way we approach potlucks. What if each person digs deep and brings a little extra to give? What if every person takes a slightly smaller portion than they would at home? What if some sort of heavenly miracle takes place that we aren't aware of? Who knows? But something amazing happens when we bring what we have and share it completely with others, without reservation, without greed and with as much grace as we can muster. When it's fruits of the spirit we share, just like our fruit salad, we usually end up with a little something to take back home with us.

And that's a potluck I can have faith in...

What we did on our Summer Vacation

2009-08-19T10:28:00.005-04:00

Middle School Service Trip to Washington DC

June 11-14^th, 2009

Ten UPC middle school youth and three adults traveled to Washington DC in June to aid in service projects related to homelessness and poverty. Our youth spent nights in the basement of the Church of the Pilgrim and days working at various organizations in the city. We sorted food and toiletries at the Food Bank where I heard our youth say, “Hey, I use that! My mom buys that for my lunch!” With each box that was packed the gap between their lives and the lives of people living in poverty closed. We cleaned up the basement of a community center serving the two largest housing projects in DC. This hot and dirty job was rewarded when a neighbor brought over homemade peach cobbler and showed us that there is grace in sharing dessert with strangers. We chopped vegetables, deboned chicken, and diced meat at the DC Central Kitchen where the story of loaves and fishes was made very real as this kitchen makes 4,000 meals every day of the year for hungry people in DC. We were made keenly aware of just how much food we waste and how much good can be done when a community comes together to work for good. Our youth talked with people who are currently or formerly homeless, learned their story, and had their eyes opened to the fact that most everyone is only one bad decision from being homeless. The youth talked openly about homelessness in this country and how we are all connected to the issue of poverty. “I was hungry and you gave me food” came to life for our middle schoolers as they learned to see Jesus on the streets of DC.

Montreat Music and Worship Conference

June 21-27, 2009

Twenty-four high schoolers and five middle schoolers spent the week together in Montreat learning about music and one another. Full days and late nights gave our youth many hours to devote to one another and to worship. Our youth are able to put down the walls while in Montreat and they show such love to one another that each adult leaves inspired. Each night, our high schoolers had in depth discussions about worship that morning. While they were disappointed in the preaching this year, they were led into meaningful conversation about the point of each sermon. These late night discussions were priceless and will stay with our youth for many years. Montreat is often described as a “thin place” where God is close. This worship and music conference was filled with the Holy Spirit and became a thin place for our youth. On our last night together, a white butterfly floated into the gathering space and danced during our conversations: a visual reminder of the Spirit’s presence among us.

Appalachia Service Project

July 12-18, 2009 – Lee County, VA

The mission of ASP is to make homes warmer, safer, and drier for the families of Appalachia. Seventy-six youth and adults from UPC and Cane Creek Baptist Church spent the week working to further that mission for 10 families in Lee County, VA. Running on little sleep and fueled by nightly ice cream from the Happy Mart, our team accomplished more than the ASP staff thought possible in a week. We replaced roofs, built decks, added and replaced bathrooms, sheet rocked walls, insulated homes, put in floors and forged relationships with the families with whom we worked. Our youth and adults found remarkable similarities between the families of Appalachia and themselves even though at times it seems we live worlds apart. Our youth explored why it is easier to offer help to those whom you don’t know than people in your own community and why it is easier in help with friends rather than alone. While our youth most certainly learned from the adults on this trip, the adults also learned a thing or two from our youth in how they care for one another. After an exhausting week of hard work, everyone returned home with new perspective and knowledge about poverty in the US. This remarkable trip has a way of wedging itself into the minds and hearts of our participants and continues to remind us of our blessings and what it means to share them.

Montreat Youth Conference

July 25-Aug 1, 2009

This year’s MYC theme of World On Fire proved to be hard-hitting for our youth. This conference was not sugar coated and created more discussion than any youth conference in recent memory. Our youth were confronted with all of the “fires” in our world: poverty, racism, greed, the environment…the list went on. Feeling a little overwhelmed, our youth were given space to focus on these issues in the context of their faith as they met and discussed with their small groups. Rev. John Fife, a past moderator of the PC(USA) presented riveting sermons that challenged our youth to DO something about these “fires” not only lament that they are burning. By week’s end, this conference had each youth “fired up!” to change the world. Our youth left feeling empowered and encouraged to be the change in the world that must happen. It was an incredible week of fellowship, worship, and study with 1100 other Presbyterian teenagers. Watch for what this generation will do to get other fired up to put out fires in the world.

Youth Group Blog?

2009-08-18T13:06:00.004-04:00

You are probably thinking why should I check the PYC blog? I can find out what I need to know at youth group or on facebook. Well, Here you can find the weekly low-down on life at PYC. What did we do at youth group and what did it all mean? How were we moved by the scripture we read? What did we learn and how does it effect our life of faith? You can also find resources that we use and or talk about at PYC. Our "Text Message" Bible Study topics will be here as well. Here the Bible meets the most modern form of communication. Check it out often and be a part of our virtual conversation!