Online Camp Applications are Here!

We've been working on a new system for doing our online camp application process!  You can now apply using the form found on the main DIOCESAN page (EpiscopalWNY.org).  Select the Diocesan Life tab and it's at the bottom of the menu.  There is also a direct link on our Camps page at the DIOCESAN YOUTH website (EYouthWNY.org)

Or you can just click HERE

Camp Applications!

We're still working on the online registration but here are the applications in case you need them.

Camp application for campers - remember the March 1 Early Bird Deadline.  Save $15 off the cost of camp if you get your application AND deposit in by March 1.  You can use this form for any of our camps.

  Camp Application     Health Form   Scholarship Form

If you want to serve on staff at one of our camps use this form:

Fillable pdf version      Downloadable regular version    Adult Health Form

All camp staff should be prepared to attend the camp staff training day May 19 at the Diocesan Ministry Center.

News from this week's newsletter.  You can sign up for the newsletter at EYouthWNY.org

Look for the link at the top of any page.

Hope everyone is getting excited about the Bishop's Ball.  Bishop Bill is looking forward to seeing LOTS of faces at the dance.  Feel free to bring a friend, make sure you invite all the youth at your church!  Cost is just $5, 7-10 PM, February 11 at the Diocesan Ministry Center.  We've got a new video about Bishop's Ball you can download from HERE

 

AND THEN THERE'S CAMP...

Applications are now available to download HERE

We are still working on the online applications.  Should have them soon.  Your church already has some applications, make sure you ask about them.

Please make sure your parents see this years new Early Bird Registration .  Get your application AND deposit in by March 1 and save $15 on the cost of camp.  There will be no "extension" on the Early Bird Registration.  It must be in by March 1!

 

If you're a Happener and want to be on the Team for the Spring weekend remember the deadline for applications is this Saturday!  If you haven't Happened yet think about it!  This is a great weekend filled with fun and music and some great spiritual thinking time led by other teens.  Find out more HERE

Upcoming Events

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Happening Board Meeting - February 11

Bishop's Ball - February 11, Diocesan Ministry Center 

Youth Commission - February 19, 2 PM St Patricks Cheektowaga  

Happy New Year!

 CAMP REMINDER

 

We have confirmed camp dates for 2012!  We are still ironing out some details on costs for this summer.  Applications will be available ASAP.  But have everyone mark those dates down!

 

Senior High June 24-30

Junior High August 5-11

Sleep Away August 12-15

 

 A mailing with flyers for a lot of the upcoming events will be headed out in the next couple days.  Look for it!

 

Time is running out for applications to GCOYP!!!!

 

 

We could especially use female and minority applicants!

 

Province 2 of The Episcopal Church is looking for Western New York's best and brightest young people.  The application period is open right now (through Jan 15) for the General Convention Official Youth Presence (GCOYP).  It's a role that would put a young person in leadership at a whole new level.  We are looking for youth that are willing to work hard as a member of a team and represent not just WNY but the youth of our Province.

 

Check out the requirements and the nominating links HERE 

They would have to be available April 12-15 and July 5-12.  All of those dates, no exceptions.  Plus ALL EXPENSES ARE COVERED.  For both time periods and for everything other than pocket money.

 

If you can think of someone who would fit the description please talk with them and urge them to apply ASAP.

 

DEADLINE is JANUARY 15.

 

Contact me with any questions.



Coming up in January we have an overnight event for grades 6-12.  The Youth Overnight Event with Bishop Bill is January 20-21 at the Diocesan Ministry Center.  Cost is $10 per person.  The youth will be broken down into an older (HS) group and younger (MS) group for activities and their time with Bishop Franklin.  Each group will have it's own dedicated adult leadership as well.  Event starts at 7PM,

Registration needs to be done in advance and can be done by e-mail- BishopEvent@gmail.com.
 
The overnight ends with Eucharist and we hope to be out the door at noon.  Hoping to see lots of youth there.  The Bishop is very excited about this event which follows in the footsteps of the Consecration Overnight.  He really enjoyed that time and is looking forward to having more time with the youth.
We handed out a lot of flyers for this event at Convention but I'm trying to get something else out in the next couple weeks.

 

Registration deadline is the Monday before the event.  January 16, 2012.

Online registration HERE
Password is the bishop's last name

The Bishop's Ball is February 11, 7 -10PM at the Diocesan Ministry Center.
Open to grades 7-12
Cost - $5 

 

The Bishop really enjoyed himself last year and is looking forward to spending some time with the youth again.

Looking for a challenge in 2012?

We're headed into the New Year and there is something very special that you might be able to do in 2012.  General Convention (GC) is the "business meeting" of the entire Episcopal church.  It's an amazing and important event.  And every time it meets (every three years) there is a group of youth there to be the voice of the younger generation to the church.  That group is called the General Convention Official Youth Presence (GCOYP).  It's made up of 2 high school aged young people (age 16 or older) from each Province.  Province 2 (that's our province) is searching for the young people to represent us at GC.  Please consider applying.  You can apply online  HERE through January 15 (scroll down to the paragraph that starts "Each applicant must complete...").  You must be able to commit to all the days of a 4 day training session April 12-15 and General Convention July 5-12.  ALL EXPENSES ARE COVERED FOR BOTH THE TRAINING AND THE CONVENTION.  And that means ALL of your expenses, travel, food, room, fees and materials.  Please read through the information and think about applying.  If you have any questions please feel free to contact me.

General Convention Official Youth Presence

Every three years at the General Convention of The Episcopal Church there are 18 high school aged youth who are given voice and vote in the House of Deputies.  They are called the General Convention Official Youth Presence (GCOYP sometimes shortened to just OYP).  GCOYP was created as a way to insure that the voice of the younger generation of  the church is heard at its highest council.  The process to select the two from our province (Province 2) gets underway today.  Here's what we're looking for:

• A high school aged young person who has demonstrated leadership abilities
• Who can work with both youth and adults
• Who can work in a disciplined environment.  GCOYP work from around 7 AM till 11 PM every day during General Convention (dates below)
• Who can commit to all training dates (April 12-15) and all of General Convention (July 5-12)
• Who is comfortable communicating verbally and in writing
• Who is prepared to move to the next level of leadership in our denomination.

ALL Expenses are covered by the budget of the Youth Ministry office of The Episcopal Church.  This includes transportation, housing, food and reasonable incidentals.  The chosen youth and their families bear no financial burden what so ever for being involved.  This includes both training and GC.

Each youth will need a non-family member adult recommendation.  Adult can also nominate a young person.  Please remember that only 2 (a total of 2) youth will be chosen from the province.  So you will be up against young people from Rochester, Central New York, Albany, New York, Long Island, Newark, New Jersey, Haiti, The Virgin Islands and the American Churches in Europe.  It was just two GC's ago that a young person from WNY was selected (Samantha Cutlip).  So please carefully consider if this might be something you are called to or that you believe a young person from our diocese might be gifted to serve.  

The application window is Dec 1 2011 - January 15, 2012.

 

Go HERE for youth application

Go HERE for a nomination by an adult

If you have any questions please get in touch with me ASAP!

Peace

Jay

EYE Videos and the Overnight with the Bishop!

Sorry for the pause in updating.  As you probably know I've been on the road a LOT in the last month.  Couple key things to share:

If you went to EYE11 (Episcopal Youth Event 2011 in St Paul Minnesota) or if you'd like to get a better feel for what it felt like check out EYE Portal.  This will take you to the video page but you can jump to the other pages from there as well.

Check out this video about the Habitat for Humanity house that EYE helped build:



And details for the Overnight with Bishop Franklin:

Overnight with the Bishop!

January 20-21

Diocesan Ministry Center

Starting at 7 PM

Cost is  $10

Open to all youth grades 6-12

Email to register:

BishopEvent@gmail.com

September 12 Newsletter

We are really underway! And that means LOTS of things for you to do. So let's see what's up:

Youth Commission reminder!

Our first Youth Commission meeting is coming up on Sunday September 18 at 2 PM at St. Patrick's Cheektowaga. Lots of things to deal with as always but we will need to elect a new youth co-chair! If you are high school age and would like to step into an important leadership role then we need you! It would be best if you are at the meeting (although if you can't make this particular meeting we'll understand. You will need to be able to attend most/all future meetings) but at least let me know if you would like your name put in the conversation.

Support one of our camp partners -

Dunkirk Conference Center!

Got this note from the folks at DCC:

Everybody loves pizza... right????
Well, DCC needs you to eat Pizza, Wings, Pasta, Breadsticks... on Monday, September 26th at Pizza Hut! DCC is teaming up with Pizza Hut to support the youth and family camping programs at the Dunkirk Camp and Conference Center.
All you need to do is download and print out the ticket (attached or on our website www.dunkirkcc.com) and present it when you pay. You can eat in, carry out, or get delivery.
Pizza Hut will donate 20% of your purchases on the “Fun”draiser Night to DCC!!!!

Three local Pizza Huts are participating...

· Fredonia Pizza Hut

· Blasdell Pizza Hut by McKinely Mall

· Pizza Hut @ 3010 Niagara Falls Blvd.

...be sure you print and take the correct ticket.

Please pass out these tickets to all your friends and family. Imagine... enjoying your yummy dinner can help raise needed funds for DCC."

I have also uploaded the tickets so can download them by clicking on the names above.


In the meantime there are two great programs lined up for this fall. Make sure you get your application and get it in to the appropriate places ASAP:


Journeys #2 - Journeys is for middle school aged kids. It's a weekend retreat that is designed to be fun! This was designed by people, including youth, from right here in our diocese. The weekend is September 23-25 at St Lukes in Jamestown. The team is very excited about this weekend and looks forward to seeing you there!

Journeys Applications HERE

Happening #28 is a go at this moment! We are looking for candidates right now. This is a retreat weekend for high school aged youth. The weekend is November 4-6 at Camp Pioneer in Angola. It's a great weekend where you will make some great friends.

Happening #28 Applications HERE

After some problems making the links work we have photos up from all three camps this summer. Check them out on our blog, our Facebook page, on the EYouthWNY website or you could just use these links:

Senior High Conference

Junior High Camp

Sleep Away Camp

Think About this!

No newsletters today but with school getting underway for everyone this week I thought this was interesting. If you are a member of the graduating class of 2015 see if this is true for you!


Each August since 1998, Beloit College has released the Beloit College Mindset List, providing a look at the cultural touchstones that shape the lives of students entering college this fall. Each year Mikey's Funnies loves to share it with you:

THE MINDSET LIST FOR THE CLASS OF 2015

Andre the Giant, River Phoenix, Frank Zappa, Arthur Ashe and the Commodore 64 have always been dead. Their classmates could include Taylor Momsen, Angus Jones, Howard Stern's daughter Ashley, and the Dilley Sextuplets.

1. There has always been an Internet ramp onto the information highway.
2. Ferris Bueller and Sloane Peterson could be their parents.
3. States and Velcro parents have always been requiring that they wear their bike helmets.
4. The only significant labor disputes in their lifetimes have been in major league sports.
5. There have always been at least two women on the Supreme Court, and women have always commanded U.S. Navy ships.
6. They "swipe" cards, not merchandise.
7. As they've grown up on websites and cell phones, adult experts have constantly fretted about their alleged deficits of empathy and concentration.
8. Their school's "blackboards" have always been getting smarter.
9. "Don't touch that dial!"...what dial?
10. American tax forms have always been available in Spanish.
11. More Americans have always traveled to Latin America than to Europe.
12. Amazon has never been just a river in South America.
13. Refer to LBJ, and they might assume you're talking about LeBron James.
14. All their lives, Whitney Houston has always been declaring "I Will Always Love You."
15. O.J. Simpson has always been looking for the killers of Nicole Simpson and Ronald Goldman.
16. Women have never been too old to have children.
17. Japan has always been importing rice.
18. Jim Carrey has always been bigger than a pet detective.
19. We have never asked, and they have never had to tell.
20. Life has always been like a box of chocolates.
21. They've always gone to school with Mohammed and Jesus.
22. John Wayne Bobbitt has always slept with one eye open.
23. There has never been an official Communist Party in Russia.
24. "Yadda, yadda, yadda" has always come in handy to make long stories short.
25. Video games have always had ratings.
26. Chicken soup has always been soul food.
27. The Rocky Horror Picture Show has always been available on TV.
28. Jimmy Carter has always been a smiling elderly man who shows up on TV to promote fair elections and disaster relief.
29. Arnold Palmer has always been a drink.
30. Dial-up is soooooooooo last century!
31. Women have always been kissing women on television.
32. Their older siblings have told them about the days when Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake and Christina Aguilera were Mouseketeers.
33. Faux Christmas trees have always outsold real ones.
34. They've always been able to dismiss boring old ideas with "been there, done that, gotten the T-shirt."
35. The bloody conflict between the government and a religious cult has always made Waco sound a little whacko.
36. Unlike their older siblings, they spent bedtime on their backs until they learned to roll over.
37. Music has always been available via free downloads.
38. Grown-ups have always been arguing about health care policy.
39. Moderate amounts of red wine and baby aspirin have always been thought good for the heart.
40. Sears has never sold anything out of a Big Book that could also serve as a doorstop.
41. The United States has always been shedding fur.
42. Electric cars have always been humming in relative silence on the road.
43. No longer known for just gambling and quickie divorces, Nevada has always been one of the fastest growing states in the Union.
44. They're the first generation to grow up hearing about the dangerous overuse of antibiotics.
45. They pressured their parents to take them to Taco Bell or Burger King to get free pogs.
46. Russian courts have always had juries.
47. No state has ever failed to observe Martin Luther King Day.
48. While they've been playing outside, their parents have always worried about nasty new bugs borne by birds and mosquitoes.
49. Public schools have always made space available for advertising.
50. Some of them have been inspired to actually cook by watching the Food Channel.
51. Fidel Castro's daughter and granddaughter have always lived in the United States.
52. Their parents have always been able to create a will and other legal documents online.
53. Charter schools have always been an alternative.
54. They've grown up with George Stephanopoulos as the Dick Clark of political analysts.
55. New kids have always been known as NKOTB.
56. They've always wanted to be like Shaq or Kobe: Michael Who?
57. They've often broken up with their significant others via texting, Facebook, or MySpace.
58. Their parents sort of remember Woolworths as this store that used to be downtown.
59. Kim Jong-il has always been bluffing, but the West has always had to take him seriously.
60. Frasier, Sam, Woody and Rebecca have never Cheerfully frequented a bar in Boston during primetime.
61. Major League Baseball has never had fewer than three divisions and never lacked a wild card entry in the playoffs.
62. Nurses have always been in short supply.
63. They won't go near a retailer that lacks a website.
64. Altar girls have never been a big deal.
65. When they were 3, their parents may have battled other parents in toy stores to buy them a Tickle Me Elmo while they lasted.
66. It seems the United States has always been looking for an acceptable means of capital execution.
67. Folks in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City have always been able to energize with Pepsi Cola.
68. Andy Warhol is a museum in Pittsburgh.
69. They've grown up hearing about suspiciously vanishing frogs.
70. They've always had the privilege of talking with a chatterbot.
71. Refugees and prisoners have always been housed by the U.S. government at Guantanamo.
72. Women have always been Venusians; men, Martians.
73. McDonalds coffee has always been just a little too hot to handle.
74. "PC" has come to mean Personal Computer, not Political Correctness.
75. The New York Times and the Boston Globe have never been rival newspapers.

Copyright 2011 Beloit College. Mindset List is a registered trademark

Camp Photo albums are up!

Trying to get caught up and get our media posted from this summer.  So far I've got photo albums for each of our camps.  Check them out below.  More photos and videos over the next couple weeks!

Senior High Conference

Junior High Camp

Sleep Away Camp

Newsletter August 1

Some interesting things going on.  In order to be more transparent and help people stay informed and involved we will be posting Happening Board minutes just like we've been doing with Youth Commission minutes for many years now. (You can find the Youth Commission minutes on the Youth Commission page at www.eyouthwny.org.  Happening minutes will be posted on the Happening page very soon).

In the meantime we are in  need of a nurse for Sleep Away camp.  If you have any ideas please contact me.

Plus coming up:

"The Western New York Happening Board is excited to announce the Second Meeting of Blue Ribbon Commission! This is an opportunity for teens and young adults who have participated in the Happening ministry to come together in order to take a fresh look at the ministry and set new goals to achieve as we begin a new journey with Bishop Franklin.

  

This youth ministry offers a life changing event to all teens, from other teens in the diocese. The weekend experience is only the first step in a spiritual walk that will last throughout our lifetime! All present Happening Youth are invited to define the next phase of Happening experiences for upcoming teens in Western New York.

  

The entire faith community benefits from youth being engaged spiritually, and growing in their walk with the Lord!

  

Come join us on Saturday August 13, 2011 at the new Ministry Center for the Western New York Episcopal Diocese, located at 1064 Brighton Road Tonawanda, NY 14150. We will tour the new facility and meet from 10:00am - 2:30pm. All participants are asked to bring a snack to share and $3 so that lunch can be provided.

  

Contact Giselle Jackman, Happening Board Chair at g_jackman@hotmail.com or the Happening Spiritual Advisor, Rev. Harry Grace at (716) 875-8374 for more information.

A Retreat for Adults Working with Adults

Adult Youth Leaders Retreat 

Tuesday, September 27 to Friday, September 30
Led by Jennifer Gamber and Fran McKendree

(I spent part of my sabbatical last year at Holy Cross Monastery.  It is an amazing place and this retreat is led by a couple of really wonderful folks)

For the past four years, youth ministers from across the country for a time of worship, prayer, study, and fellowship within the sacred rhythm of the Benedictine monastic community at Holy Cross.  This year, we will explore our baptismal waters made alive with the current of God’s blessings.  To what unexpected places have we been taken?  What blessings have we poured into the lives of others? How have these blessings washed back on our shores seeking to be gathered and given out again?
In the morning, we will gather in song and begin our program together with study, sharing and reflection.  In the afternoon, participants can choose among several options including personal reflection, praying the labyrinth, walking, and time for rest.  Each evening, we engage in a guided meditation that participants can bring back to the youth at their churches.
Singer/songwriter Fran McKendree leads the group in song throughout the day and into the evening.  This retreat offers a time of restoration and contemplation for youth ministers who seek to fill their wells in preparation to feed the souls of the teens they serve.  Come be refreshed by God’s living water on the banks of the Hudson River.
Fee: $320, Deposit: $80
 Reservations