Category Archives: Youth Peace Travel Team

Youth Peace Travel Team

National Junior High Conference

Posted on by
Reply

Piece by Piece: Finding Our Place within God’s Story

Traveling as a team always brings fun challenges into the mix when it comes to luggage.  Hands down, our greatest challenge to date came on our journey to National Junior High Conference.  Piece by piece we packed, unpacked, and repacked an oh-so-snug trunk until all latches were squeezed shut and we made our way to Elizabethtown.

As a team we dove into National Junior High Conference ready to share pieces of our own leadership.  Whether it was workshop leading, writing skits, creating art for worship, rapping on stage, performing drama or even calling in Brethren Boy, we were excited to offer all we could in a few action-packed days.  More than our own offerings, we enjoyed talking about Jesus’ call to peacemaking with Church of the Brethren young people.  The passion held for peace is inspiring not simply for us, but for the growing community of people building a better world.

We left National Junior High Conference energized for the hope we bring to one another knowing we each hold an integral place in God’s story.   Just as we piece together our luggage week by week, so too must we seek and pursue our own peace in the world.
– Kay

Youth Peace Travel Team

Meet the 2011 Youth Peace Travel Team!

Posted on by
3

On Monday, we entered the lodge at Camp Inspiration Hills near Burbank, Ohio that would be our home for a week and it smelled like Pine-Sol. By Friday morning of our orientation, it didn’t smell like Pine-Sol anymore because we made it our home. We lived, ate, worked, slept, and prayed there. It become our base camp for deeply exploring the gospel of peace proclaimed by our Savior. We sank into couches while mentors poured the Good News into our eager souls. We soaked it all in with the fascination of children. The fortunate thing here is that we are children. We are children of God. Something akin to child-like energy spreads from person to person like a spark kindling fires of inspiration. Our piney lodge is where this “summer of sparks” starts. And, it must never end, for our job is to continuously pursue the Kingdom of God on earth by spreading the fragrance of Jesus wherever we journey.

Peace be with you, from the 2011 Youth Peace Travel Team: Kay Guyer, Tyler Goss, Sarah Neher, and Mark Dowdy! Spread it!

-MD

Youth Peace Travel Team

Reflections on Camp LaVerne

Posted on by
Reply

Eight weeks ago at Ministry Summer Service orientation Mary Jo Flory-Stuery reminded us that no matter where we go this summer, a ministry is already present and working there. There are many ministries at Camp La Verne, but I believe one of the most important is Capture the Flag. Despite the competitiveness, Capture the Flag was a blessing to me and the entire camp. As I was jokingly trying to intimidate the other team or encouraging my own team, I grew closer to campers, more so that I did even at meal times or campfires. Whether someone was watching the game, guarding the jail, or making a mad dash for the flag, relationships were built and made stronger. The game brought me closer to nature (I have the scratches to prove it), closer to the campers, and closer to God. Capture the Flag as a ministry at Camp La Verne bring everyone laughter, joy, excitement, and friendship.
-Hannah

Camp La Verne! Returning to a home camp after a long hiatus is like watching your favorite television show after it has been off the air for years. The memories start flooding in and you cannot help that little smile that slowly starts spreading across your face. The sights are familiar, the smells are familiar, and the people are wonderfully familiar. It is camp! It is home! Returning to Camp La Verne was an amazing treat for me. I remembered the wonderful summer weeks that I spent there. The little hike up and down that steep hill to the kitchen three times a day, going back to the basics and trekking up the mountain to sleep under the stars, and the great campfire talent/skit show where we can go on and on for hours! I loved being able to experience this wonderful week with the Junior and Senior High youth. The directors always have such an awesome time planned and I loved being able to relive those moments with new people and fresh faces to Camp La Verne. I loved showing my team my home camp and taking part in camp history in a whole new way – as a teacher of Peace. It was an incredible week and I am so glad we were able to be there. Thank you to campers, counselors, and directors alike for opening your arms and hearts and letting us in and welcoming us home! Kiyikiyikus, nobody like us! We are the kids from Camp La Verne!
-Cambria

If you desire more toned and defined muscles, visit Camp La Verne. We did some heavy leg-work this week through hiking and extreme games of capture the flag. These activities, for me, were great opportunities to bond with the campers. Getting to know them, laughing together, sweating together, walking together, singing together, etc., all helped make that connection I needed to be called their friend. On day one we took a hike to watch a beautiful sunset. It was gorgeous. As time passed us by, the rays of the sun slowly began hiding off behind the mountains, and the moon arose as we hiked back to camp. One of many memorable moments this week was when we led our peace workshops with the Senior High campers. They engaged and responded with what was on their hearts, answering: who they think are marginalized (left out, forgotten about) in their communities and daily lives, why they thought peace is important, and why loving our neighbors is a form of peacemaking. In our last workshop with this group we even received questions that went way beyond what we were expecting, like, “How can some Christians read the Bible but come out with an interpretation in support of war?” The campers were thinking – thinking big. Overall, I enjoyed myself this week!
-Marcus

One of the highlights of the week for me was the opportunity to go on an overnight hike. This was something I had never experienced before, so I approached it with a bit of apprehension, but it turned out to be a wonderful time. It was definitely the part of the week where we bonded most with the campers. We hiked about 2 miles out into the forest and set up camp in a large clearing. We cooked dinner, played a few games of capture the flag, then slept out under the stars (which were incredible!). The next morning we woke up, cooked breakfast, played a few more games of capture the flag, then hiked back to camp. It was a great experience that allowed us to experience God in a new way and get to know each other a little better.
-Tim

Youth Peace Travel Team

Reflections on National Youth Conference 2010

Posted on by
1

Tim:
A highlight of NYC for me was the opportunity to lead a small group. The purpose of small groups is to bring together youth from across the denomination who do not know each other and help them process their NYC experience together. It was a challenging assignment, but one that was exciting for me. My group was a bit quiet at times, but they were always enthusiastic to participate and share their experiences together. We had 45 minutes together every day following morning worship, in which we got to know each other, discuss our experiences, play games, and pray together. It was a learning experience for me. I found it to be very rewarding personally, and I hope it was for the youth as well.

Marcus:
An exciting thing about landing on YPTT this year was the opportunity to attend National Youth Conference. As an inspired participant four years ago, coming back to NYC as a staff member was rewarding in so many ways. This year’s conference theme carried a message of empowerment. It was one that focused deep within the heart, not the organ that pumps blood around the body, but the inner person or essential self. We acknowledged the truth that as children of God, we are “More than meets the eye”. One thing that touched me at conference was having the opportunity to see the energy, enthusiasm and zeal that our church youth have for serving God. And because of this reality, they are standing by to lead in the church. They are ready and eager to impact the world for Jesus with the gifts and abilities God has given them. Check this out: more than half of those who attended conference participated in service projects throughout the week. Even more inspiring, over sixteen thousand dollars was raised in one offering alone to help students in Haiti receive a decent education. That’s phenomenal! Hearing the testimonies of young people who left with a new, fresh desire to be more involved in their denomination has showed me that, indeed, there is more than meets the eye with the youth of the Church of the Brethren.

Hannah:
National Youth Conference was a blessing. It was a blessing to be in community with other Brethren – past campers from this summer, former YPTT members, people from my home church, and other Brethren I’ve met along my journey. I enjoyed community when I led a small group, when the team led workshops, when I performed a dance in a flash mob, and when worshiping with almost 3,000 Brethren. I can live peacefully and I can live simply, but it is meaningless unless I live in community with other people. The community of the Church of the Brethren touched me at National Youth Conference.

Cambria:
This week at National Youth Conference made me appreciate how wonderful seeing a familiar face can make someone. After eight weeks of traveling, seeing my home congregation and youth pastor was a delightful sight. I was very glad I got to experience a second round of NYC, especially sharing it with my congregation, my team members, and past campers. Another thing that really was special about NYC was a peace commercial that we were able to perform for the entire conference. It went over very well and everyone enjoyed it. It was a great affirmation and we were proud of our work. After a week of amazing music, wonderful people, flash mob dances, and so much more, I feel like the Brethren are so much more than meets the eye!

Youth Peace Travel Team

Reflections on Camp Pine Lake

Posted on by
Reply

It was exciting to come back together again after our mid-summer break. It was good to reunite as a group, be back in a camp setting, and get back into our summer’s work. We just finished a great week at Camp Pine Lake in Iowa! We spent the week with about 30 energetic Junior High campers. This was our first Junior High camp of the summer, which presented new challenges as well as joys.

Our first responsibility of the week was to welcome the campers with get-to-know-you games and icebreakers. One of the activities we led was the “Blanket Game,” where campers split into two teams, each on one side of a blanket. Each team sends one camper forward, the blanket is dropped, and campers must shout the other camper’s name first. The camper who calls out second must move to the other team. It was a great way to learn names and build relationships. Another responsibility of ours was to lead Morning Watch every morning, introducing the daily theme of how to “Be a Hero: Live like Jesus.”

We were also responsible for the large group session each morning, which we used to teach peace, using our framework for the summer (see Peaceful Pines blog for more explanation). Campers responded with much enthusiasm by sharing their thoughts and ideas about peacemaking. One of our sessions was meant to show the effects of marginalization and how to include others. We used the story of the Woman at the Well found in John 4 to illustrate how Jesus calls us to accept others. We played a game in which campers were assigned shapes and told to form groups without talking. Three campers were assigned shapes that did not have a group: they were the marginalized people. The game opened up conversation about how we can include others in our daily lives, in our schools, in our churches, and in our communities.

Another responsibility we had was to help cabin groups plan evening campfire. We led campfire the first night to serve as an example. The following days, we facilitated planning sessions with campers, which included scripture, singing, and skits. The campers were creative and it was rewarding to see them lead campfire.

The week was full of fun activities, such as swimming, hiking, canoeing, fishing, slip-n-slidin’, going to a waterpark, playing water balloon games, and a skit night. One of our favorite activities was the opportunity to cool off on a homemade slip-n-slide, made out of a huge piece of plastic, laid down a hill that was lathered in dish soap and freezing cold water. We also got to fire a giant water balloon sling shot. Everyone loved it! The last evening included an entertaining skit night. Campers were given opportunities to perform with their cabin, individually, or in groups. They were creative and it was a fun event! We ended the skit night by “pranking” the camp manager, which the campers thought was hilarious.

Thanks Camp Pine Lake for a great week! Now we’re off to attend National Youth Conference in Colorado!

-Marcus, Cambria, Hannah, and Tim

Youth Peace Travel Team

Reflections from Camp Peaceful Pines

Posted on by
Reply

We just finished a great week in Northern California at Camp Peaceful Pines! The camp is located 6,200 feet up in the Sierra Nevadas, where it gets very cold at night and hot during the day.  We spent the week with 17 senior high youth as the main program leaders.  This role gave us the freedom to utilize the theme, “Be a Hero: Live like Jesus,” and spend an ample amount of time talking about peace. 

Every day we led a morning watch, Bible study, peace workshop, and evening campfire.  Each morning we introduced the daily theme during morning watch, which usually included songs, scripture, reflection, and prayer.  We then went more in-depth with the theme during Bible study, highlighting context, background, and theological issues.  Campers learned from each other by teaching the scriptures through skits. 

Following Bible study, campers engaged in a peace workshop.  We followed our three-question framework that we have been using so far this summer: “What is peace,” “Why do we seek peace,” and “How do we seek peace?”  We split this framework into four different workshops.  The first day was dedicated to the questions “What” and “Why?”  The following three workshops addressed practical peacemaking.  We explored ways to make peace with God and ourself, our neighbors, and our world.  A highlight of the workshops was a “Save the World” movie that the campers directed, scripted, and acted in themselves.  The movie centered on realistic ways of how to make our world a better place.  Overall, campers left us with a sense of hope for the future. 

Each day was wrapped up with an evening campfire.  Campers, adults, and Peace Team members shared their favorite songs around the fire.  We provided devotional time for campers to reflect on and process the day’s theme.  A fun time was had by all!

A Camp Peaceful Pines tradition is a game called “Gotcha.”  This game is played from 10pm to 7am, in the dark, utilizing a colorful and ornately decorated toilet seat. Whoever’s doorstep it rests on when the morning bell rings must sing a song for the whole camp at breakfast.  The Peace Team had to sing four out of the five mornings.  Another tradition that the camp has is to hike to and sleep out on Sunrise Rock.  Sunrise Rock is a huge, open rock, surrounded by beautiful mountains.  We were able to bond with campers and were awoken by a full moon, which seemed as bright as the sun. 

This week we went on an intense eight-mile hike from a lake up to the top of a mountain, where we ate lunch next to a beautiful waterfall.  The hike required us to get on all fours and vertically scale enormous boulders.  We were proud to have completed such a hike, and we thoroughly enjoyed it!  We also brought back the dance this week. The campers responded with excitement, and they got their groove on!

Thank you Camp Peaceful Pines for a fun week!

 -Tim, Hannah, Marcus, Cambria

Youth Peace Travel Team

Reflections on Annual Conference

Posted on by
Reply

Last week we attended Annual Conference in Pittsburgh and it was great!

From Camp Peaceful Pines up in the mountains to the city life was a definite change of scenery. Seeing familiar faces from all over the denomination was wonderful

Throughout the week we had various responsibilities as a team. These responsibilities included: various agency meals, a session with the Junior and Senior High youth, helping with an insight session, and performing a scripture drama on stage during worship.

One day, the team split up and attended two luncheons. Hannah and Tim spoke at the Outdoor Ministry Association luncheon, while Marcus and Cambria spoke at the Intercultural luncheon. Marcus and Tim were a part of a singing group who entertained the guests at the Global Ministries dinner. We performed a short “Commercial for Peace” at the Congregational Life Ministries dinner. We also attended the Women’s Clergy and On Earth Peace breakfasts.

We also led a large group activity with the Junior and Senior High youth who attended conference. We sang songs and played a game that focused on the need to come together despite differences. Participants stood in a line and held hands. When facts that were true about themselves (i.e. calling it ‘soda’ rather than ‘pop’), they took a step forward. As they stepped farther and farther apart, due to these differences, the act of holding hands got harder and harder to the point where they almost broke. We enjoyed this time with the youth and felt it was very successful.

We got to help out YPTT alum John-Michael Pickens lead an On Earth Peace insight session about peace retreats. We facilitated two example games that could be used at peace retreats. We learned an important lesson about the need to be creative when doing peace work.

For Monday night’s worship, we shared our theatrical talents and acted out the story of Zaccheaus. Tim played the title role of Zaccheaus while Marcus portrayed Jesus. Hannah and Cambria starred as the wonderful two-person crowd, and Bekah Houff did a lovely job narrating the tale. It was a thrill to be on stage in front of so many people.

Cambria and Hannah had the special opportunity, along with other Ministry Summer Service women interns, to share in conversation with young women from the Brethren Revival Fellowship. It was full of learning and relationship building. We are very thankful for the chance to talk and grow.

We have made it to Camp Pine Lake in Iowa, we are fresh off of our three day mid summer break, and are relaxed and ready to go!

Peace on Earth!

-Cambria, Tim, Hannah, and Marcus

Youth Peace Travel Team

Reflections from Camp Stover

Posted on by
1

We received a warm welcome to Idaho from Dan Brown, a.k.a. “Dan the Mountain Man.” We heard all we needed to know about Idaho – mountains, animals, culture, and people, all within the first two hours of our arrival. Thanks Dan!

Camp Stover is an intergenerational camp set in the foothills of the Idaho mountains. This style of camp was unique and new for us. Different age groups were separated for daily activities, but everyone came together for meals and evening campfire. This was also our first experience of going from one camp to the next, which at times tested our energy and endurance. But we are adapting to this busy and ever-changing summer schedule, and becoming more effective at operating within it.

Our primary responsibility this week was to provide leadership for the main evening campfire. All ages attended this campfire, and then everyone split into their age groups to have another smaller campfire to close out the evening. Using the theme “Be a Hero: Live like Jesus,” we were able to let our creativity flow. The daily themes were: “Welcome Others,” “Be a Friend,” “Accept Others,” “Give,” “Rejoice,” and “Share the Good News.” We led silly campfire songs, performed skits, and held reflection and devotional time during these campfires.

Monday afternoon, we had the opportunity to share our peace workshop with the junior and senior high campers. The youth were involved and responded with interest to our message. We were excited to expose the youth to the Biblical foundations of peace and options for practical application in everyday life. We also held a discussion with the adult campers to share about ourselves and our summer’s ministry. They were interested in our team’s theological diversity and how this relates to the denomination’s current situation. A thought that was brought up was that peace can potentially become a divisive issue. Despite differing opinions on the church’s historic peace position, all agreed that pursuing peace within the denomination is imperative to living a life of Christ-like integrity. They were encouraged by the idea of using communication, discussion, building relationships, and remembering that we are all brothers and sisters in Christ, to help us rise above conflicts brought about by differences.

Two fun afternoon activities we were able to participate in were hiking and visiting a hot spring. We all did both activities, but on different days with different age groups. While some of us saw snow and had a snowball fight, others of us soaked in 105-degree water. Both activities were fun, relaxing, and full of new and memorable adventures.

We closed the week out with a Saturday morning worship service that gave an overview of the week’s theme. We were called to action to be heroes for Jesus in everyday life. As a team, we are planning and working together more efficiently as the weeks go by. Thanks for a great week, Camp Stover!

-Cambria, Tim, Hannah, and Marcus

Youth Peace Travel Team

Reflections from Camp Mount Hermon

Posted on by
Reply

Hi everyone! We just finished a great first week at Camp Mt. Hermon in Tonganoxie, Kansas. We participated in the Senior High week with about 25 youth. The Mt. Hermon family gave us a very warm welcome and we felt right at home. The enthusiastic staff and campers were awesome, and we were blessed to have the experience of working with them.

Our theme for the week, and for many of the camps we will visit this summer, is “Be a Hero: Live like Jesus.” We talked about how we can be Christ-like heroes in our families, schools, churches, communities, and our world.

This past week we were able to lead a variety of activities. To convey our message of peace, we led a workshop that answered the questions: “What is peace?, Why do we seek peace?, and How do week seek peace (first between ourselves and God, then with our neighbors, and finally in our world)?” We began by having campers define what peace means to them by creating a symbol in small groups, then explaining it. Their responses were insightful and thought provoking. Another activity we were asked to lead were daily discussion-based sessions called “Hot Topics.” Campers selected topics ranging from teen problems to putting God first. We led a campfire one night, led campfire songs every night, and taught the youth a dance to a compilation of songs, which they performed for counselors and staff Friday evening. A phrase from the song the youth enjoyed repeating throughout the week was “Ja-Jam,” which was accompanied by humorous choreography.

A highlight of the week for us was a communion/footwashing service, followed by a meaningful closing campfire. During the footwashing portion of the service, counselors washed campers feet in the same way Jesus washed the feet of His disciples. Campers then returned the act of service by washing the counselors (and our own) feet. Around the campfire, prayers were lifted up; some silent, and some spoken. The Spirit was clearly present and moving throughout the night in a very special way! We were blessed and privileged to have been able to participate in such an experience.

As the weeks go by and we spend more time together, we continue to grow as a team. We have realized that our relationships with one another, and our calling as the YPTT of 2010, rise far above our theological and personality differences. Continuing the work of Jesus peacefully, simply, and together is too important of a task to allow differences to hinder us in reaching that goal. What a powerful lesson to take with us the rest of the summer!

After an inspiring week at Camp Mt. Hermon we want to send our utmost gratitude to the campers, counselors, and staff! Thanks Mt. Hermon for a great week!
-Cambria, Marcus, Hannah, and Tim