New Directions from Constellation Ministry

Happy Epiphany Blessings to you all! We made it through another Advent and Christmas season, hopefully intact. Congratulations on making it through to all those for whom this is a busy and exhausting time of year. I hope you have had a bit of time to catch your breath. As a gift to you, I made the following collage of images (okay, I also did it because I love using publisher, but I still think it is pretty).

 Constellation Ministry has had a fabulous first year of combined ecumenical youth ministry in Vancouver. With events from outreach to sleepovers to the Easter Sunrise Service, we have experienced many different ways of doing youth ministry together. We have also learned a great deal about what youth ministry we have each been involved in for a long time and been able to find ways to support each other in these ministries. St Philip's has been at the heart of this new endeavour hosting several Constellation events and contributing to every event in one way or another.

As we enter a new calendar year, we look towards the future of Constellation and we hope to take some time out from planning and holding events for reflection and visioning. With a full year of experience now under our belts, we believe it is time to take a step back and consider what our vision is for the future of Constellation Ministry. The leaders would like the input of young people, parents, clergy, volunteers and youth leaders about how Constellation can support youth ministry in Vancouver.

In order to do this, we will be hosting a visioning morning with a small group of interested people on Saturday, Jan. 25th at St Philip's. We will gather from 9:00am-12:00pm and dream and plan together. We will consider our collective mission, values and goals both in the short term and the long term.

We also hope to try some new things and learn even more about how to empower young people in faith together. At our last leaders meeting, the group proposed that we try out having some Constellation events specifically for either junior or senior youth. We will be moving forward with one of each of these events in the next few months.

Our first senior event will be an afternoon Bible Study hosted by Lakeview Multicultural United Church. The Bible study will be using the "Banned Questions of the Bible" study resource to guide their discussion on some of the more challenging passages of Scripture. This event will be led by Mayon Marcelino, youth minister from Lakeview United and former student at Vancouver School of Theology. We are excited to have yet another parish host their first Constellation event! The event will be from 3-5pm.

Thank you to everyone who has helped make this first year a great success: youth leaders, parents, clergy, volunteers, those who have held us in prayer and welcomed us into their Churches and of course all of the unique and wonderful young people who inspire and drive this ministry.