Good morning from sunny Saskatoon!
I’m writing this blog entry as we begin the Canadian Lutheran Anglican Youth Gathering (CLAY), appropriately named Hyperlink. The city is buzzing with excited teens–and it should be. The next four days are sure to contain a wealth of worship, reflection, relationship building, and fun! But something about this youth event is different, and I think the word Hyperlink captures it well.
The gathering’s members will explore the connections in our lives: with God, neighbour and all of creation. And as they do so, a unique team of youth will be reporting on the event online: via Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Storify. And why not? These are important tools for connecting with one another and with the world around us!
I’ve asked each member of that group, the specialist home team, to write a short reflection for The Community, sharing with us not only the events of #CLAY2012, but their personal experience. Over the next few days, you can look forward to those first hand reports, as the team draws on their many connections: with God, neighbour, and all of creation.
The gathering begins. Let me introduce you to the specialist home team, who will be sharing their experiences with you. And if you’re here, why not drop them a line? After all, this event is all about making connections!
Hannah Shirtliff
Hannah, 18, hails from the small farming community of Starbuck, Manitoba. Her home congregation is Trinity Lutheran Church. She is attending CLAY 2012 as a member of the Specialist Home Team, with a focus on telling the story of CLAY through video, blogging, and social media. She will be starting her first year at Queen’s University in the fall and plans to study Global Development Studies, Health Studies, and Political Studies.
David Brown
David Brown, 17, a native of Victoria, British Columbia, with a particular interest in stage production and social media, found the specialist home teams at CLAY 2012 to be a perfect fit, despite never having attended a gathering before. A member of the Church of St. John the Divine, he still has one more year of high school before he has to make any important life choices, although they may include theatre, journalism, or competitive lime-eating.
Aidan McBride
Aidan, 18, was born and raised in Edmonton, Alberta, and attends Trinity Lutheran Church there. This September, he moves into his second year at the University of Alberta faculty of business. When he is not playing tuba, leading youth at church, or working at a local news station, he enjoys reading, playing videogames, and spending time with loved ones. Here at CLAY 2012, he is stage-managing the Large Group Gatherings, working with the band, the drama troupe and the technicians to ensure that things move smoothly.
