Abundant Light at this year's Niagara Youth Conference

The last week of August, over 60 youth delegates from across the Diocese, accompanied by 17 generous volunteers, gathered at Canterbury Hills in Ancaster for the Niagara Youth Conference (NYC).  The week-long residential conference is the creative culmination of six months of extensive planning and enthusiastic publicity by the volunteers.  The Co-Dean of this year's NYC, Carrie Charters, describes the conference's goal: “NYC creates and supports God-moments...  It's nature meets safety meets community... combining to open and refresh the hearts of anyone who enters the space.”

A foundational component of the conference is base group, a supportive small intentional community of 8-10 delegates facilitated by two staff that meets daily. Observing delegates forge bonds within their base groups, transforming throughout the week from reluctant to engaging and enjoying one another, is one of the most visible testaments that something powerful is at work.  Another key element of NYC are conference-wide activities.  This year the entire conference played quidditch, a ball game in the style of Harry Potter. Towards the end of the conference, the variety night showcases an extensive array of delegate and staff talent in a loving, supportive atmosphere.  The soundtrack for all these activities is the incredibly talented NYC band, who provided inspiration, reflection and joy through their music.  At the heart of the conference was prayer.  Morning Tunes, mid-day worships and Eucharists, and nighttime complines anchored NYC in atmosphere of reflection and celebration.

The theme of this year's conference was “Light,” and a wide range of activities allowed delegates to express their experience of light.  Our opening Eucharist invited delegates to bring light to all places in the world.  During one homily, delegates painted one another's faces as an expression of letting our unique inner light shine forth.  Toolkits were created with poems, songs, and art in preparation for those inevitable moments in life of “over-exposure” when life becomes out of balance.  Darkness as a helpful metaphor for the restorative quality of solitude and quiet was engaged through daily complines.  These nighttime prayers created such beautiful images throughout the week: a blindfolded trust walk in the silence of the night, delegates dancing with sparklers, lighting flying lanterns into the stunning night sky, and lying in a meadow beneath a canopy of beaming stars.

Volunteer staff member Alicia Archbell describes what makes the week so special: “NYC is the one place and community where I can be authentically me.  No need to pretend I'm someone else, I can live in the moment and react how I want to. The supportive community is one of love and encouragement and accepts everyone.  The conference gives you the ability to explore your faith, question and discover what God means to you.”

The closing of NYC can be a sad time for many delegates and staff too, as they leave behind a special community of trust. This year's delegates took home with them glass jars with a candle as a reminder of their commitment to be abundant light for one another.  As one delegate expressed at the end of our week together, “I feel refreshed and ready to face the world with head held high.”