Youth from across New England and the Mid-Atlantic gathered at California University of PA for the UCC Eastern Regional Youth Event July 19-22. The PSEC sent along 50 youth and chaperones for four days of worship, workshops, service-learning, and fellowship. Youth learned and served at the LeMoyne Center, a multicultural community center that provides at-risk children with camp programs, homework help, nutrition, and more. Worship each night focused on the UCC’s 3 Great Loves campaign: love of neighbor, love of children, and love of creation. A plenary speaker and preacher spoke on one of the 3 Great Loves each evening and the Convergence Music Project rounded out worship with songs that helped emphasize the theme scripture from Psalm 101 “My theme song is God’s love and justice.” The PSEC’s own Rev. Kim Kendrick was the theological synthesizer for the event, Rev. Josh Blakesley spoke on his inter-faith work, and Rev. John Folk was on the regional planning team. Youth also chose workshops to attend that focused on a variety of social justice topics and ways to express faith creatively. Of course everyone enjoyed the beautiful Cal U campus and free time activities such as the rock wall, swimming pool, and escape room. If you are interested in the Youth at General Synod program next summer from June 21 to 25 in Milwaukee, WI please contact Rev. Kimberly Berenotto at hkkimberly@sbcglobal.net. Save the date for the National Youth Event in 2020: July 22-25 at Purdue University!
