Fun Games, Honest Conversations & Deep Friendship | Trinity Talks Podcast

Hello, everyone, and welcome to this week's episode

of Trinity Talks. My name is Kyla, and I am sitting

down here with three folks who help to lead our

youth ministry here at Trinity Streetsville.

And we're going to talk a little bit more about

what that youth ministry looks like. Yeah, what

do they do together? What are some of the highs,

the lows, the in -betweens? And yeah, I'm just

excited to sort of hear. what this ministry is

all about. And yeah, it's been a while since

I've been in youth group, but I'm sure that it

has both changed and maybe not changed at all.

We will learn together. So thank you for joining

me, folks. Absolutely. Thanks for having us.

Yeah. Yeah. So maybe I'll just get you started

to get some introductions, say a little bit about

yourself and sort of how long you've been doing

youth group. Yeah, I can start. I'm Rylan and

I love youth ministry so much. I'm a child at

heart, so I'm surprised I'm not in kids ministry,

but no youth ministry is like, for me, it's,

it's, it's just one of the most magical things.

Um, I think part of it is I had such crazy years

in my, uh, preteen and teen years, uh, a lot

of, as we say, highs and lows and all the way

around, but they were such crazy years. And my,

my number one. I guess, regret or looking back

as, oh man, I really wish I knew how amazing

God was and was following him because I thought

he was so lame and I wanted nothing to do with

him. So that's really, honestly, like my heart

for youth ministry. I'll also just say I'm in

Bible college. So this is like, this is my thing.

I don't know where exactly I'm going to end up,

what kind of ministry, but I believe I'm called

to do vocational ministry my whole life. So yeah.

I've been the youth director for less than a

year, almost a year. And I don't want to spoil

Mia's response, but she's been there longer,

twice as long as I have. I'll just, yeah, I think

I've said enough. No, that's awesome. Thanks,

Charlotte. Yeah, do you want to go ahead? Sure.

I'm Luciana and I've been like helping out with

juniors for almost a year, like six, eight months.

Well, I've been youth, like I was youth before

for like four or three years. Okay. Yeah, so.

I've been around. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So you were

doing junior youth for three years, and now you're,

like, helping out with that, and then you're

attending the senior youth as well? Yeah. Okay,

cool. Awesome. You've been there longer than

any of us. Yeah. I have more experience. The

real experience. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah. And

then I'm Mia. I've been working as the co -youth

director for two years now. So, yeah, just finishing

my second year. Okay. Yeah, and, like, Rylan,

like, I think youth ministry is so, so important.

Young people have such a difficult time in the

world. And I think it's important for them to

have this like. grounding place for them sure

yeah and that's what youth was for me when i

was a teenager yeah yeah oh that's awesome yeah

so folks may or may not know that you all gather

here on a friday night uh for youth group but

they probably don't know what it is that you

actually do at youth groups can you sort of describe

for me like what is a typical youth group night

look like yeah well from what i like i've seen

and everything and Just being here. It's mostly,

like, it's just fun. Like, you enter, you play

a bunch of games that are made by, like, the

people there, Riley and Mia, sometimes Zion.

And they're just really fun games, and then you

get to do Lesson, where, like, we talk about

how Jesus impacts their life, or, like, just

any story of the Bible. And, like... That's what

I tell my friends because I normally invite most

of my friends to youth groups. I tell them, it's

just, we're going to be at the church, play games,

and then we're going to have like a quick lesson

and a quick snack. Okay, cool. Sorry, I love

that you said we get to do lesson, not that we

have to do lesson. That's a good sign. Yeah,

for sure. Yeah, so we have junior youth, which

is grades six to eight here from six o 'clock

to eight o 'clock. And then we have the high

schoolers here from eight to 10. And the night

looks... We kind of have a similar structure.

Sure. And like, yeah, Luciana said, there's games.

We try and do some like crazy, chaotic, fun games.

Okay. And yeah, usually youth like them. Yeah,

we do. Yeah. And then a lesson and snack and

sometimes small group as well. Okay. Which I

think is a super important part of the night.

And we've kind of started putting a little bit

more emphasis on that. Sure. Okay. So what does

that look like? The like small group bit? Yeah.

So we usually break off. It depends on how many

leaders we have, but into like two or three groups.

And we go over like any questions they had from

the lesson or like sometimes Rylan will talk.

Sometimes we watch a video. So we go over questions

from that and also just talk about our week and

how it's been. Sure. And yeah, have a little

bit more community in a smaller group where it

feels a little bit. safer for some of the youth

yeah no that's awesome yeah yeah um and so like

how many youth do you usually have like on a

given friday night junior youth is is always

a little less okay yeah uh sometimes a lot less

uh yeah it could be last week is actually or

two weeks ago i guess was probably our the most

we've had okay very very long time uh maybe as

long as i've been here so i'd say with junior

youth probably It could be 8 to 12 of them or

so. Yeah, okay. And then the senior youth is

more than that. A lot, yeah. Like lowest amount,

like maybe 15, but usually like 20 to 30, I would

say. We have a lot of senior youth bring friends

with them. Sure. Which is awesome. Yeah, if those

friends come, we get like... yeah around 30 but

if they don't there's a few less but yeah it's

okay yeah it's a good number of them okay yes

so you mentioned lots of wild games and fun chaotic

things happening so do we have like a favorite

game or a favorite like ah we did this thing

this one time and it was crazy and awesome oh

i have yeah um there's this game that was called

i think it was three couch Okay. Four on a couch.

Four on a couch. I love that game. Okay. Everybody's

like, because we normally play like Ghost vs.

Boys. Okay. So everybody's like riled up and

like saying, no, you, you, you, you're the name,

you're the name or whatever. And like, it's just,

I love that game. Okay. So how do you play four

on a couch? Uh, there's four people on a couch.

Okay. And there's someone there. Everybody sits

like around the couches and each person has like

a each person puts like a name on their on like

a paper and they switch it up around okay so

then you have a name of like another person okay

right so like if we were playing i mean there's

four of us so you probably need more than four

people to play but like you would be like mia

and i would be like rylan yeah yeah okay so then

so if you call you call a name a random name

and then if that person is in the couch like

if the person that has the paper is in the couch

then he has to Stand up and then switch places.

Yeah, exactly. Okay. So then the point of the

game is getting your group, your whole group

in the four couches. Okay, great. So if it's

girls and guys, you want four girls on the couch

and four guys on the couch. And that's what's

so confusing is you're trying to remember who

has which name. Right. So it's because I wouldn't

likely have my own name. But then also every

time you swap with someone, you sit down, you

also trade the card. Oh, you like trade names.

I actually have no way, like my mind does not.

So I just guess. I actually just guess and I

get lucky sometimes. But yeah. Also, good thing

you were able to explain it because I'm going

to maybe have you explain that for the G &A today.

So that's awesome. You killed it. It's tricky.

It is. I get confused every time I explain it.

Okay. Okay. What about for you, Rylan? Favorite

youth group game? Easy. It's salad bowl. That's

my favorite. And how does one play salad bowl?

How does one play salad bowl? Basically, there's

also pieces of paper and everyone will have them.

The way I like to do it is, well, you can write

a word or a sentence up to three words. Okay.

And so everybody gets a chance to write that.

You just write down one or maybe two, depending

on how many we have. And then you fold it up,

fold it with a piece of paper, throw it in the

bowl. And then basically it functions like charades.

Okay. bend the rules and maybe it's just because

i don't remember the rules that i've been there

but i the way i so we'll do like one or two or

three rounds okay round one will usually be you

can use up to three words except for the words

on the paper okay describe it okay but no actions

and then round two will be you can only use one

word so at that point like it might be such an

absurd statement you have to remember them yeah

yeah then it's like you have one word and then

last one is actions no words okay so basically

charades but like insane um yeah it's so i love

it i love it so much yeah yeah very cool yeah

yeah one of my favorites is a game i don't think

it has a name i kind of made it up i think okay

i love that um But we played it a lot with the

youth last year. I would take beanbags and hide

them all around the church. Okay. And then the

youth would have to find them and put them in

like a basket downstairs. Okay. But the leaders

would be it. And they'd be like trying to catch

the youth. And if you got caught, they'd go to

like jail, which was the youth room. Okay. And

be freed. So it was kind of like capture the

flag. Right. instead of like two teams, it was

youth versus leaders. Right. Okay. Yeah. And

then it was a specific time. So you have to get

them all in like 20 minutes or whatever. Yeah.

Okay. And that game gave me a good workout. Lots

of cardio. Yeah. Yeah. For sure. For sure. For

sure. Yeah. So those are some of your favorite

games, but like, what about other parts of doing

youth ministry? Are there parts that you're like,

ah, this is like what I really love about it.

Um, whether like being part of youth group or

leading youth group. As a youth and also helping

with the youth, I've learned that youth group

really changed yourself and how you see friends

and meet people. Because when I came into youth

group, I generally found it as a safe space.

Just like a break from the week. And it was just

so relaxing to just play games. And then here,

it's like, somebody new comes in and then it's

like just oh hi and then you just instant like

become friends so like youth group really does

open a lot of doors and that's why i always tell

my friends like hey come to youth group it's

actually gonna be so much fun you're just gonna

meet new people right yeah that's awesome i love

that yeah yeah for me it's kind of similar but

from the other end of like seeing it um especially

when leading small group like seeing especially

friends of youth who I know better who start

to come every week. And then there's been some

small groups where like they start to open up

a little more and share. And yeah, just seeing

how like it really does change. I'll say change

people's lives because that's a big claim. But

yeah, it changes their life for a little bit.

Sure. Which is cool. Yeah. Yeah. Just adding

up to what Mia said. Actually, I didn't just

come to youth group because of an email or because

I already knew about it. It was because a friend

invited me. I've been here for four years now.

Right. Yeah. It's crazy. It literally changed

my life. Yeah. yeah yeah and it's so interesting

like it's it is those like personal connections

right and like yeah maybe somebody would come

to youth group because like get an email or text

or whatever but like those like being able to

like bring your friends and feeling like this

is like actually a really exciting and safe space

to do that i think is awesome yeah yeah and that's

what's so important about youth ministry i think

like the connections in the community because

that's what you need yeah for sure if i could

chime in a little bit i i definitely like yeah

i think this is important because i I know like

to say, yeah, I come here, your, your life's

going to be changed. You know, it's, it's, it's

ambitious, but, um, but I think, you know, having

your life changed doesn't always have to like

look super big and glamorous. It's, it's like

the small things, right. And it's like, wow,

there's something about this place that I feel

I can come and, and be safe, be known, be seen.

I think that's one of the biggest things is like

to be, to be actually seen and asked questions

and, um, having people remember things about

you and remember when you're not there, the weeks

you are there. And yeah, I just think like for

myself, I mean, before I really came to Christ,

there were, I still had participated in youth

groups and there's things I remember still about

those youth groups and about people in my life

that like, yeah, we're, it's weird because it's

the whole idea in the Bible of like a seed, right?

You plant a seed and you might not see it grow.

until years later you might not see it grow at

all sure but just i really believe in that like

i believe if somebody comes that like maybe like

a little they'll get a little bit of jesus like

we get a glimpse right and then uh yeah maybe

that's in fun maybe that's in and if it's in

any game though it's definitely going to be in

salad bowl just say that but uh yeah as long

as what we write is appropriate which it usually

is um one time we wrote rylan in there They had

to act out Riley. Okay. Okay. Anyway, that's,

yeah. Yeah. Yeah. No, that's awesome. Like, I

think it is like, you know, you, you both kind

of said, you know, maybe it's a bold claim to

say that it like changes people's lives and like,

maybe, maybe not, but like, I think it does,

it adds meaning, right. It adds value. It adds

this like sense of community that I think has.

that we can't always like put our finger on and

be like, oh, this is the impact that this has

had in my life. It's like, no, no, just being

in a space where I'm known and loved is so important.

Yeah, for sure. Very well said. Yeah. So when

you think about, you know, being involved in

youth ministry, are there any ways that it has

sort of shaped your own faith or like impacted

your own relationship with Jesus in some way?

Yeah, do you want to start us off? Yeah, I can

start. I definitely think it's really interesting

because when I was in youth, I was part of a

strong faith community. And I was in a space

where I could ask the hard questions and really

think things through and talk things through.

And then leaving that, I kind of lost a little

bit of that, especially going to university.

Most of my friends aren't religious. So I didn't

have that sense of community. And then coming

back and working here, it's really cool because

the youth are now the ones asking the hard questions.

And I can talk through these things with them.

Yeah. Which, yeah, it's awesome because I'm growing

by hearing their questions and talking through

their questions with them. Sure. So, yeah, it's

kind of the other side, but I'm getting the same

thing out of it, which is awesome. Yeah. So it

is like even for you, it's being part of a community.

Yeah, exactly. Yeah, that's awesome. yeah what

about you right yeah yeah well that's that's

such a good it's such a good question like really

i i it's a good point like yeah the questions

the youth ask will actually really challenge

us um which is amazing like that's and that's

something we tell our our small group leaders

as well um our leaders when they're when they're

as yeah running small groups is like Yeah, don't

feel pressure to answer everything because there's

a lot of things that actually no human being

on earth has the answer for. So we're not going

to expect you to just like have it like that.

It's like, yeah, I like to say, I don't know

is a holy answer. It's humble and it's important.

And then they'll come to us after and we'll talk

about it. But yeah, and just one other thing

for me. This is especially for in regard to my

schooling and what will be. like just a huge

part of my life like like teaching i've been

so so challenged and actually these two for example

have challenged me a lot and just like um encouraging

me to to sometimes uh make my points more cohesive

or more sure in the lesson a bit because they're

i'm losing them Uh, but I just, I've heard it

said that, uh, like if you can't explain something

to like at a grade six level, you don't actually

understand it. Sure. Which is interesting. Cause

that's like our also cool. Cause it's our lowest

grade level, but it's true because especially,

you know, if you're studying theology and stuff,

you get all these, these terms and all these,

you know, these, Oh, look at me. I know all these

words, but it's like, but if you can't like actually

just explain it in normal language, um, And when

people poke holes in it, then your thing kind

of falls apart. It's like you don't really understand

it. You know what I mean? There's parts of it

that you don't understand. So I think it's like

somebody said once, I don't know who, like you

don't understand something until you understand

it in multiple ways. And I just that's been huge.

Like, no kidding. Some of our youth, especially

usually actually the youngest ones, will ask

these questions that are so childlike and so

pure. so difficult i don't know sure yeah causes

us to yeah to wrestle through it ourselves yeah

and to be able to like find new language and

find new ways of like thinking about and talking

about god like i think especially like as you're

sort of going through bible school like you're

you're taught at a certain level, it's like,

as you should be, right? Like, like there's a,

there's a good reason to think through this in

like high level language, but also then to be

able to explain that in a way that resonates

with people. Like, yeah, it just shows us a different

side of God. I think. Yeah. Beautifully said.

Yeah. Yeah. What about for you? Um, well, yeah.

Community mostly because, uh, like you realize

how. community is like really important like

when you're walking through faith yep because

you get to like actually talk about it ask questions

and just like actually experience god through

others right yeah yeah yeah yeah i love that

the the experiencing god like through other people

um his yeah just so powerful i think yeah that

that we don't walk through life alone. And that

like, sometimes we like think about, you know,

it's, it's just me and Jesus. It's just me and

God. And like, cool. That's great. But like God

actually made us to be in community. Right. And

so as we meet other people, we get to also like

encounter God there. And that's, yeah, that's

awesome. I'm so sorry. No, go ahead. I just,

yeah, I, I, I just want to say one thing about

this. Cause I, this is like, been really big

interest of mine recently. I really believe that

to a degree, you can only see the image of God

so much in another person and not in the mirror.

And it's not because like you're, you should

have this lower view of yourself, but I, I just

believe that's the nature of it. Like, you know,

God himself is the Trinity and being made in

the image of God is a communal thing. I just

believe that's important because even as, like

you said, experiencing God through another, even

as we experience God through each other, I think

then. Um, we're also living out in ourselves

what it means to be made in the image of God.

And we remember that we do have value ourselves

because people treat us that way. And it's just

a mutual thing. Whereas, yeah, I completely agree

with you. Like when we're just so stuck up on

just you and Jesus, just you and Jesus, like

you could try that. You could try to just have

your own journey apart from everyone else, but

you will. have a terrible time yeah so i yes

you won't get to play salad bowl you won't get

to exactly yeah exactly exactly i'm sure he'd

be fun to play with but yeah yeah i also want

to circle back to like one thing that you sort

of said like really passingly as if it was like

nothing but like this idea that like i don't

know is like a holy answer i think is so again

can you just like say more about that like what

that means like what that looks like i don't

know it just like struck me and i was like huh

yeah oh yeah i yeah i honestly it's it's one

of the first things that really puzzled me when

i came into the church was how arrogant we all

are everybody And we're all so sure that our

denomination or even our church has it all together

and all right. And I was so bothered by that.

And especially more and more like learning, because

like you said, like that learning at the academic

level is actually really important. And when

you do that, you get to actually see like how

people have come to the conclusions they came

to. And there's brilliant, like spirit -filled

people in every different, you know. stream of

the church i really believe that and um yeah

so i just think that's been a big thing is learning

uh the more i learn about theology the more i

learn about these the things of god and how it

interacts with life and such power like beautiful

like colorful ways that are not black and white

yeah um i i just believe more and more uh with

limits like there's some things we can't compromise

of course but um more and more that when we hold

what we know loosely, we actually open the door

to knowing more and knowing God, like Paul prays,

you know, know the love of Christ that's beyond

knowledge. And when knowledge kind of becomes,

I think like the ceiling for how much we can

know God, then we just end up knowing about him,

right? Like you get a resume of God and that's

not what the Bible is. The Bible is inviting

you to actually know him personally. I'm going

a little over, but I'll try to circle back. Yeah.

So that's the main thing is I just think it's

about humbling ourselves. And like Proverbs says,

you know, trusting him with all our heart and

not leaning on our own understanding. Right.

Part of that comes from, well, are you willing

to be wrong about some of the things that you've

held so tightly? Because if you're not, then

it's like you could end up kind of building an

idol of God that just aligns with. everything

you believe, you know, and then those other,

every other Christian, every other church, they're,

they're all heretics, you know? So, yeah, I don't

know. Does that? Yeah, no, no, that makes perfect

sense. Yeah. Yeah. And I think from a more practical

standpoint too, like with youth saying, you don't

know also shows them it's okay to not know things

and not like they don't have it all figured out.

And I think it encourages them to like, kind

of, Sit with things and think with things for

themselves, because, yeah, like even if I have

an idea of what I might think, I want them to.

come up with their own conclusions on things.

Yeah. Yeah. And that actually like builds a much

more solid foundation for faith as well. Right.

Like, cause I can think about, you know, different

things in my life that were just sort of handed

to me as like, okay, this is how it is. This

is what you should believe. And like, that's

cool. And like some of those things I do still

believe, but like the things that I actually

hold most dear to my heart are the things that

like I have come to discover or I have come to

like question and wonder about. Right. But. yeah

creating that space for curiosity and not knowing

the answers i think actually deepens our faith

in some ways for sure yeah yeah and i think that's

just so much of the beauty about the christian

faith is that it's so um it god invites us to

question like it's not a textbook right the bible

is anything but a textbook it's so confusing

and it's like it's inviting us you know that's

part of seeking god with all your heart is seeking

him asking and and yep as whereas other it's

not all but other religions will say, you actually

cannot question this and ask questions because

that's being irreverent. It's like, no, God knows

that, um, we'll have questions and difficulties

and that's part of it. I think that's really

part of it. So I love what you said about the

foundation. Yeah. Test it. And then, yeah, like

letting those questions, the questioning phase,

like test what you believe so that it actually

is refined and it becomes stronger. I love that

so much. Yeah, for sure. Yeah. So in all of this,

um, you know, like obviously Trinity has been

a place where we've sort of put this, this emphasis

on, on youth ministry, but why do you think it's

important for churches to do that? Like, why

do you think youth ministry matters in the world

today? Yeah. I mean, a simple answer is like

youth are the future of the church. Sure. Like,

and they deal with so much, like, other noise

nowadays so i think putting an emphasis on like

the church a place where they can yeah have fun

but also like learn and question is so so important

for them to like stay a part of the faith and

continue to grow in their faith because i mean

we hear like young people are leaving the church

so much now yeah and i think yeah it's important

to have a place where they can come and grow

In the church. Yeah. Yeah. I think it's also

very important because you just get to like know

more. In like Sunday churches, yes, you do like

learn a lot. But in like youth, as like we were

talking about, you actually get to like ask questions

and like you generally do learn more. And like

I remember one time it was just. uh first we

got small group and it was just me my friend

and then rylan and um i learned so much that

day just us three oh sorry just us three and

like i went home and i was thinking about it

and praying about it and it was a really good

day Yeah, what about for you, Rylan? Why is youth

ministry important, do you think? Yeah, I just

think it's everything. I think the mental health

among youth today is like an all -time low, I

think, ever in history. I think that's actually

statistically true. Suicide rate and everything,

I believe, is highest too. Yeah, I heard somebody

who's in charge of... like uh missions within

canada kind of like inter uh inter -country missions

uh say that we don't so much have a mental health

crisis as much as we have a faith crisis and

mental health kind of springs out of that and

i definitely don't believe all of mental health

is It's because you're just not believing enough.

You'll never catch me saying any such thing.

It's horrible. But I will say that a lot of it,

like if you really think about it, if God is

the deepest desire and the meaning of it all,

and we don't have that, it doesn't matter how

much counseling we get or what medications we

get, as effective as those things can be and

they can help, but it's like the one thing. So

I think youth today are more than, Also, maybe

ever before are searching are really searching.

I think that comes with being so lost and being

in such dark places that you search for light.

Like I need something. I just cannot see a thing.

So, yeah, I would I completely agree with what

you both said. And it's they are the future.

So it's are we going to invest into the future

of the church? But then also is like even for

them right now, I do believe there is it is.

I'm intense. This will sound intense, but I believe

it is kind of life or death for some of these

youth. It really is. I've heard stories about

youth who, who were really on the verge of ending

their life. And then it was, it was their youth

group or someone in a youth group that went out

into their schools. Right. Because it's not just

supposed to, ideally our youth group doesn't

just stay in Trinity. It goes out into the schools

and invites friends to you like that. Yeah. It,

It's salt and light into the world. So I would

say that it's just young people right now. I

think we're all young, but you know, the youngest

of the young just, yeah, just really, really

need the Lord and need people who, who walk in

his love. Yeah. Yeah. And I think like, as you

were sort of talking about that, like salt and

light bit, I think like the thing that came to

mind for me was that like, our youth have access

to people and spaces that like i don't have access

to right like if i were to walk into a high school

first of all they would say why are you here

but but even after that if they let me in for

some reason like nobody's gonna listen to me

nobody cares what i think but like people care

what you think because you like have friends

there you like have influence right and and there

are like digital spaces as well where youth are

and like can contribute and can like be like

no like there is an alternative to all of the

things that seem to be going wrong in the world

right and there is you don't need to be isolated

there is a community that you can find and yeah

so just being able to like equip our youth well

to go back into those spaces and yeah that's

something that comes up in small group a lot

like how do we share our faith and also just

how do we like be a christian in the world and

yeah show like our light and our like the love

of god to everyone around us yeah um yeah because

that's I think oftentimes what brings people

to God, right? Seeing other people, seeing the

way they live. Um, so yeah, we, we talk a lot

about how do we do that? Yes. Yeah, for sure.

Um, so in thinking about all that, and I think

we've sort of touched on some of this already,

but like, what do you think are some of the biggest

like challenges that youth are facing today?

Um, what are, what are some of those things that

like, yeah, they keep coming up against? I think,

like, especially, yeah, like Rylan said, mental

health. Like, the stress of school and then expectations.

And then, like, school have changed. Like, it's

mostly about grades and not, like, as much as,

like, learning. So, like, the stress builds up

and builds up. And then that just really plays

on. And then there's not only the stress from,

like, grades. uh homework test yeah but it's

also like uh having to like be cool i guess yeah

like yeah for sure yeah and like i've uh some

friends i've seen that like have been like pressured

into like not doing very good stuff and like

they've changed yeah and then just also like

me my friends like most of the people i know

like have developed like some type of mental

health some some like anxiety stress because

of like all that it's happening like it's too

much for somebody for someone our age yeah yeah

and i think like sometimes it's easy like even

sometimes i find myself here but like sometimes

it's easy for people who are like in older generations

to, like, look at what's happening and be like,

oh, well, that's not real stress. They don't

know the stress of a job. They don't know the

stress of raising a family or whatever. And,

like, no. But also, like, it is a real stress.

And it is, like, yeah, different than the stress

that someone else is living, but it is real.

And it is something that is, like, really heavy,

right? And compounded with, like, all of... You

know, the stress of school, the stress of friends

and all that sort of thing, but compounded with

the stress of like all that's happening in the

world. Right. And trying to be like, OK, where

is there a future for me at all? Right. Like

there's just so much. Like you see like what's

happening in the world. I'm like, I'm going to

graduate. And like, is there even going to be

like any jobs for me? Right. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

It stresses you out a lot. For sure. Yeah. And

I feel like there's so much noise. And then it's

like. How do you prioritize God through all of

this noise and stress and social media? Like

all of that is. Yeah. And that's something I

even struggle with. And I'm still quite young,

but I'm not quite a youth. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah,

for sure. Yeah. Yeah. I'll just kind of add on

to that. I think you guys nailed it. And I would

just say, yeah, when you think about social media

and the news. It's like all the stuff, all the

wars and the violence and everything all around

the world is all pulled in together and then

put on put into this this rectangle that glows.

We are taking it all in. And that's just talking

about that. There's not to mention just all the

stuff pouring in from the culture. That's just

harmful. Yeah. Yeah. And all that is made so

much worse. I think the one thing I would like

to touch on is I think just the pressure that

youth are feeling. um, to kind of have sides

and, you know, political matters and it's, it's

insane. Like it's really insane. And that, so

that's one thing, like, you know, I, I always,

especially as, um, You know, I get to I get to

teach sometimes with the youth. I always am so

careful whenever anything I say starts to like

even remotely touch on things that are political.

But the one thing about politics that I'll always

say to them is, guys, do not worship politics.

Do not let that become who you are. Like, you

know, I'm a Christian, but I'm not. i'm a conservative

i'm a christian or i'm a liberal like that's

that's and like those should just be not anywhere

near each other it's like so i i think that's

that's something i really really believe in is

trying to actually show them that um don't be

afraid and don't give in to this pressure to

have um really even have opinions about a lot

of these things or have it figured out but sure

so much more to um view another person as your

enemy because they disagree with you on these

things i think that's one of the ways that I

hope and believe and pray that this next generation

will shine like stars, you know, Sunday is being

people where like, maybe they won't even say,

or they'll say, this is what I believe or whatever,

but it's like, they're so willing to be, um,

to just fight against, I guess, the divisiveness

of our culture. That's what it feels so divisive.

Everyone is it's tribalism. It's everyone just

picks a side and whatever. matter that really

no one understands deeply enough to be speaking

on most of the time so i think yeah that's another

thing and luciana maybe i'm right maybe i'm wrong

but i i feel like i sense that from these because

i feel it for myself as a young adult yeah like

to be honest i feel like our generation is like

really woke like they're because of like what's

happening and like all the social media you really

know what's going on sure so like most of the

youth really want to take action on that they

just don't really know how sure but like they

really really know the subject like i go around

in school and like i say oh yeah this this and

that and like they really know about it like

most of my friends know a bunch about politics

like i actually like praise them for that because

like they are they really really know the subject

sure so like They have really good points of

view and I love how we can just talk about it

and not really be like, oh, I don't like you

because of your opinion. We're kind of like,

just say something. We agree or we don't agree.

And if we have a little debate, you could say

it. Sure. She's good. But then we say like, oh,

maybe you're right. Right. Yeah. Yeah. And then

like, just. like we really tried to take action

yeah no that's awesome yeah yeah so then in all

of these challenges um what are some ways that

folks in churches or folks who just like care

about youth what are some ways that they can

like be supportive and encouraging for youth

today yeah what do you need it's tricky a lot

of sleep okay okay yeah well um just like places

to like clear your mind i would say the most

like try to make spaces what's where somebody

doesn't feel like they used to feel like judged

or just like a time to have fun and don't not

worry about the week and worry more about like

am i doing good with god how is yep the whole

thing going right yeah so just like yeah being

supportive of even just the youth group space

yeah um yeah but then maybe even you know in

other conversations and other spaces yeah it'll

be like okay just tell me about what's going

on in your life and like yeah be receptive to

that yes yeah and i think going like closely

with that um making an effort to get to know

the youth um even like sunday after a service

because I know, especially for myself as a youth,

when I would go to church and I didn't really

know anyone other than my family. It was great

when someone who like even was like an older

person, like a grandparent age person would come

talk to me and ask me questions and like genuinely

be curious and want to get to know me. Yeah,

because I was just like, oh, this is a place

where I feel very seen. And it wasn't just youth

group or like youth church, but it was. everywhere

in the church. And that made me want to keep

coming back. Yeah. Yeah. That's awesome. Yeah.

Anything you would add to that? I don't know.

I don't think, I don't think I killed it. Yeah.

Yeah. I, I think, uh, you'd mentioned meaning

earlier. Yeah. Uh, I think it was you. I'm sorry.

Yeah. But yeah, meaning like I would just add

that maybe is, um, you, we need meaning. Obviously

we need something that drives us and, um, there

can be many things and, and yeah, politics can

be one of those things. And, uh, whatever cause,

whatever passion you have, it, these are all

important, but to have that, um, underneath,

uh, one core thing, it's like, what is your thing?

Why are you alive? Why did you get out of bed

this morning? I think that's just, that's something

I've seen in, in youth. And it's, it's also why,

um, yeah, I don't, I don't tend to, uh, try to

make the lessons or the even the small groups

like easy because that's not what they need like

they need to be challenged and they need to be

like because you just see it in youth's eyes

like in anyone's eyes is when you are actually

called to a challenge and and you see that that

uh this group like there's we are having so much

fun and yeah all this um is so important and

there's community in it but there's also there's

a greater purpose of it yeah like i think that's

what just it's magnetic it's like wow we're actually

all a part of something together and trying to

um discover what this is all about yeah that's

why i like to put it in those terms a lot it's

like this is the meaning like this is this is

the point of it all and if this is then like

we better pay attention to it you know um and

it's yeah it shouldn't it shouldn't be this burden

like you come in and it's like oh the first thing

they said is like Hey, uh, watch your language

or Hey, like, you know, we'll have to say that

sometimes, but like, you know, it's, no, it's

not, it's not about being judged. It's not about,

um, definitely not about being perfect, but it's

just about, uh, how can I continue to grow and

improve and, and, uh, in biblical terms, be formed

into the image of Christ and look like that,

that person of love, that person of truth and

justice that. we're made to be. Yeah. And I think

all of that, like that challenge, that encouragement,

that meaning, all of that happening in the sense

of community that we've sort of kept coming back

to, right? That it's not just like, ah, go and

be better. It's like, no, no, let's be better

together. Like let's love and support one another

as we walk through this. Yeah. And that's not

something you can teach outside of community.

Like you have to have that community and relationship.

first yeah and that's why i think like we start

off with games and we start off with building

that community sure so that we can talk about

difficult things yeah for sure yeah for sure

and like when you go to youtube you realize that

you don't have to be perfect like you go in and

you see like your friend's life or like even

the leaders and you realize that we don't have

to be perfect like you you could just walk in

your faith you have your problems like and yet

god will still love you for who you are so it's

i find it really awesome that you get to learn

that through youth group yeah yeah that's so

good So I'm just going to say you all sound like

very cool people. And so if there are other cool

people who are listening to our podcast or like,

hey, I want to go hang out with those cool people.

How can they get in touch? How can they like

what's what's next steps for people to get involved

in youth ministry here at Trinity? Yeah. Well,

if they want to volunteer with you, always looking

for volunteers. Love that. They can email myself

or Rylan. OK. Um, and yeah, we can get them set

up with how to do that. Um, if it's any youth,

they can also shoot us an email or just show

up on a Friday. Um, and we'll be there. We'll

be welcoming. So Friday, six o 'clock for junior

youth, which is grade six, seven and eight. Yes.

And then eight o 'clock for our senior youth.

So it's nine, 10, 11 and 12. Yes. And then we

also have a youth retreat coming up. Okay. Um,

and that is. Not next weekend, but the weekend

after. May 8th to 10th. Yes. I'm pretty sure

registration for that ends on the 26th. Okay.

So yeah, it's going to be... Get your registration

in now. Yes. A great weekend. And yeah, just

a lot of fun. And again, being in community with

each other, but also up north doing like high

ropes and yeah, all the fun things. Sounds awesome.

Yeah. Well, thank you so much, folks. This has

been a really awesome conversation. Lots of.

meaning and like just so good to like hear your

joy and your passion for this work and for this

community that you're building together. And

thank you for tuning into this week's episode

of Trinity Talks. Whether you are a youth or

whether you know and love youth or you're like,

what is happening right now? I hope that God

is blessing you in that and that you are able

to find ways to also develop a community and

to care for those in your midst. who are going

through really hard times. And we will see you

again next week.