YOUTH FORUM REPORT

      Mead Baldwin and Wendy Evans agreed to help organize Youth Forum this fall, with Shanna Bernier and Cory Peatman.

     The location was at Camp Val Estrie in Waterville. They have extensive facilities, including a large meeting room, kitchen facilities with 2 stoves and a refrigerator and dishes, a games room, sports equipment, dormitory rooms, nature trails and extensive grounds.

    The dates were Friday November 13 at 7 pm until Sunday November 15 at 3 pm.

    The Theme was “Lite’n Up”, Humour and Spirituality

    Hatley United Church provided supper Saturday night, and Waterville-North Hatley United church, (a 20 minute walk) provided Sunday lunch. Mead Baldwin organized breakfast and lunch on Saturday. Judy Baldwin volunteered her time to make a hot breakfast on Sunday.

        The Theme Speaker was Trevor McKinvin, an artist, who does caricatures, and is planning an African trip to work with children

    The weekend was well attended. Friday night began with welcome and icebreakers. After Wendy introduced the theme we had a campfire complete with toasted marshmallows, ghost stories and singing.

    Trevor McKinven was a very charismatic theme speaker for Saturday morning, who stayed all afternoon to do more caricatures of the youth. He was quite insirational when he shared his dream of a visit to Africa to visit orphanages designed for children whose parents died of Aids.

   Gordon Lambie and Shanna Bernier led afternoon workshops with acting exercises. In the evening Mead led a moving candlelight communion service which was followed by a fun-filled talent show.

   Sunday morning we prepared for worship where a number of the young people took part and the whole group sang. Keith Whittall accompanied us on guitar. We walked to church, participated in worship and stayed for lunch. We returned to Camp Val-Estrie for evaluation and a closing ceremony.

  The camp proved to be a wonderful facility for the Youth Forum. There was plenty of room for activities, a perfect sized dining room with kitchen and plenty of beds in the dormitory.

    The “shepherds” were a wonderful part of the leadership team. Cory and Shanna provided inspiration, leadership, singing ability and tremendous experience. Wendy and I could not have done without their leadership.

   Youth Forum is alive and well in Quebec-Sherbrooke presbytery. 

Mead Baldwin, Wendy Evans