Crossing Boundaries

Crossings of time, age, color, race,
  Crossings of culture, backgrounds and even creeds of faith,
    Crossings of comfort zones definitely abound!
      Our Synod youth are making choices,
        commitments and leaps of faith
          with their hearts, actions and voices
            in the name of Him whom they are based
              centered upon the greatest crossing ever
                The Word made flesh
                  Emmanuel, God with us
                    life crossed over death!

This has been a summer for the youth of our Synod to cross boundaries in faith! Whether it be state lines or doing something for the very first time, youth are stepping out of their "comfort zones" through their churches.

Many have been challenged to think about what boundaries they are being called to cross in the name of faith through this summer's Montreat Senior High Youth Conferences with the theme"Crossing Boundaries." Because the youth of our Synod to of the interest in such an intense cross boundaries in faith! faith experience, there are six repeating weeks for rising 9th through graduating seniors at Montreat with a limit of 1200 youth at each one.

As youth are coming back home from this "mountain top" experience, their eyes are being opened to ways God is calling them to cross. Mission trips have abounded from our own backyards, like Government Street Presbyterian Church's Urban Mission Camp in Mobile to over the borders of Mexico. The youth group at Immanuel Presbyterian Church in Montgomery decided to sponsor a community coffee house for youth with four High School rock bands one Friday night. The church was packed. Youth from Trinity Presbyterian Church in Fairhope, Alabama, came home inspired to have a canoe trip down the Alabama-Mississippi line with youth from Westminster Presbyterian Church in Gulfport and Diamondhead Community Church, both in Mississippi. They are planning now for a joint lock-in between the three churches. Not only have our Senior Highs been challenged but also Junior Highs. Many from our Synod attended the Montreat Region 3 Presbyterian Youth Connection event for Middle School at Presbyterian College in Clinton , South Carolina . Through Bible study, fun and fellowship, they explored the theme "Cold, Wet, Feet" … which definitely comes when crossing boundaries in the faith!

In Birmingham, as part of the pre-General Assembly gatherings, our Synod helped host youth from all over the country for the Connection Leadership event "Shine Like The Stars." Two youth were elected to serve the next two years as Co-Moderators of the Presbyterian Youth Connection (PYC). They are Casey Leach, a high school freshman from Jacksonville, Florida, and Nancy Cooper, a senior from Birmingham. Nancy said, "One thing that I kept hearing from youth is that they do not know all of the opportunities that are available to them (in the church). As more and more youth learn about ministries that their churches, presbyteries and the PYC have to offer, I think we will see the passion that I see in my own church and presbytery." As we look around our synod with our eyes and our ears to the youth, the passion is there...ready to be tapped, called, empowered to go forth crossing boundaries here and now in the faith!