April 15th, 2025Reflections on Youth Gatherings - Past and Present
The Things That Stick
By Audrey Wichert
Can you imagine it? Big hair, no seat belts, skin tight jeans, with blue and pink eye make-up. In the middle of winter, I joined five other youth from my church at a Mennonite conference that gathered hundreds of youth from across Canada. I still remember the speaker, the music, and the gigantic ice cream sundae that was made in eavestroughs. My conference roommates and I stayed in touch for years afterward. For myself and the other youth from our congregation, that experience bonded us. We made it there and back intact, driving 5 hours each way, in the middle of winter, with no adults accompanying us! Just the kind of thing that was done in the 80’s…
In the years since, working with youth in church settings, I have come to understand how significant and life-changing big experiences like conferences, service trips, and retreats can be. As a parent and youth leader, I know that there is no telling what is going to stick: what words from a speaker, what song, what interaction with an adult mentor, what activities, or which relationships will be the ones that any teenager will carry forward, perhaps for the rest of their lives.
I don’t know exactly what will change the life of any teenager, and that is why unofficial policy has been to send my kids, and bring my youth group, to as many of these kinds of events and activities as possible. I brought a group of youth to the last Youth Gathering (Amplify!) at Camp Valaqua in 2022. Some of my teens bonded with another group from across the country and are close friends still, years later. They now all attend Canadian Mennonite University together, and are going to be the attendants at one of their weddings this summer. Youth Gathering 2025, happening July 2-5, could have a major impact on your child, or the youth in your congregation. We hope you will join us!
Audrey Wichert is leading the planning committee for Youth Gathering 2025. She is Youth Ministry Leader at Toronto United Mennonite Church in Toronto, ON.
Some of the reflections from my youth group after Amplify.
Amplify was a wonderful experience, with amazing staff, activities, and so many new people! One particularly significant part for me was that in every spare moment, a group of people would gather to play ultimate together, no matter how small the space or how few people played. It was a great opportunity to draw in new people and get to know them in a context that wouldn't be awkward, and some of the people we played with are now my good friends at university! The speaker at Amplify, Christy Anderson, was also hugely impactful. She spoke at a level that was engaging for the older students there, about colonialism and Indigenous history and practices, and I came out of the week with a deeper understanding of my role and responsibilities as a settler. Thank you so much to the Amplify organizers, youth leaders, and our church who allowed us to go!
“I had a fantastic time at Amplify over the summer. One of the highlights for me was learning a bunch of new hymns and discovering new ways of singing old hymns. The music at the camp was truly incredible. In addition to the great music, I was also really impressed by the people and staff at camp Valaqua. They were all so kind and welcoming, and they made the retreat feel like a true community. And finally, the stunning scenery and surrounding land at camp Valaqua is well worth the trip.
I really enjoyed my time at the camp. I mostly enjoyed the chance to talk with other kids from all over Canada and play lots of new card games with them. It was really relaxing to be out in nature for a couple days I especially enjoyed being able to go on the hike to the mountains because the view was beautiful and the goofing around on top of the rock face. It was really nice that you were able to do so many different activities ,I for one kept on doing archery over and over again because no one else wanted to do it. I also enjoyed it because it was a chance to hang out with the rest of the youth.
I had a really great time at Amplify, some of it planned, and some not. We spent a couple of days at Amplify, and over that time we had a great time with old and new friends. Every day we would have breakfast, and then a worship service, then some free time, then lunch and then sometimes a schedule of planned activities. Some of the most fun things we did were swimming in the river, going hiking in the mountains, and playing a giant game of monopoly. Overall it was a great experience and I’m so glad I got to go. Thanks for the sponsorship.
Amplify was a very fun youth conference, and I was really impressed by how well it was planned out! I met lots of people from across Canada, and was able to reunite with some old friends from Calgary. The singing and camp games were great, but I especially liked canoeing and swimming in the river as well as the hike in the Rocky Mountains. There was also plenty of food, which is key for a youth event! Thanks for the support in making the trip!
This summer I had the privilege of traveling to Alberta for the Amplify conference. I met a lot of great people from all over Canada, and got closer with the TUMC group. I really enjoyed the sessions that were offered, including the hike in the Rockies. During the services we got to listen to a speaker who taught us about the ongoing issues that indigenous people face in Canada. Overall this trip was fun and impactful for me, and I made a lot of great memories.