Presbyterian Youth Triennium a ‘life-changing experience’ By Elena Lloyd-Sidle Presbyterian News Service Thursday, September 10, 1998  LOUISVILLE,
Ky.-The only flaw in a life-changing experience is that coming back home
seems somehow disappointing. On July 26 around lunchtime I was staring out of a bus window, crying - well, maybe sobbing. We were pulling out of Purdue University, where Presbyterian Youth Triennium was held, with our bags packed and our good-byes said. The week at Triennium was so full of incredible emotion and I was finally letting it out. Even though memories would always be with me, it seemed like everything - all the joy, friendship, excitement, energy, anger, sorrow, love and life - was coming to an end. The lawns and fountains, closets and bathrooms, buildings and rooms of Purdue seemed like my home. I belong there! I belong there with all of my newly found friends and leaders. This is how I felt about parting with the most incredible experience of my life. In the past a two-hour worship service has never sounded appealing to me. I sort of groaned when I read the schedule and saw "Worship 9:15-11:15 a.m." But after the first one, I knew I was lucky. Beginning with "energizers" - movements to different songs - worship was instantly engaging. Some examples of "movements" were acting like a firework or maybe a swimmer, in one song a banana peeler, in another a bus driver. So here I am - a 15-year-old acting like I'm peeling bananas! But my self-consciousness soon gave way to pure fun. Singing was very popular during worship and I am so glad. Singing my heart out knowing that almost 6,700 other youth were singing their hearts out too really made me glad to be praising God in song. Scripture was more powerful than it has ever been before. It was not simply read aloud, it was acted out and danced and sung. There was usually a sermon - sometimes brief, sometimes not, but constantly thought-provoking and moving. And Communion was unforgettable. The activities were wonderful because not only were they fun, but they gave me a chance to get to know people from my presbytery, my Bible study groups, and others with whom I just happened to get acquainted. These activities included pottery making, painting, storytelling, drawing, movies, theatrical performances, concerts, parties, dances, mud and much, much more. There was a constant energy flowing from everyone. This made things joyous, exciting, and sometimes almost chaotic. That is why the Bible study groups were great. These groups were called Lighthouse Groups. If you were lost in the massive sea of people, you could always come to the Lighthouse Group, where there would be roughly 20 people with whom you could talk in peace. In these groups we would discuss what the word of God means to us, as well as what was on our minds, both related and unrelated to Triennium.  The
people at Triennium were amazing. It was almost impossible to walk down
the street alone. Someone was sure to come up to you just to say "Hi."
It was as if loving each other was a given. We were all friends without
knowing each other. This is how I met some people who, through
conversations at Triennium and subsequent letters and e-mails, are now
good friends. I was part of a community that loved unconditionally. Feeling loved that way is a wonderful feeling. At home I don't really know that many Presbyterian youth. It can be frustrating when my best friends don't believe in the same things I do. When they don't know what I live for and who I praise and thank each day, it can feel lonely.  But
now I know that I'm not alone. I know that there are 6,700 people my age
who worship the Father, Son and Holy Ghost with the passion that I do.
Being a part of this community helped me realize who God is in me, what
I do, in fact, believe and what I just want to believe, why I love my
life and myself and what it really means to be a Christian. Being a Christian means believing not only in the sweet, cozy birth of Jesus, but in the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ as well. It means believing that "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life and life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness and the darkness did not overcome it." "Arise, shine, for your light has come! Jesus is the light! Jesus is your light!" Elena Lloyd-Sidle is a high school sophomore in Louisville, Ky., and a member of Cresent Hill Presbyterian Church. |
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| Reports and photos of the Youth Triennium from the PC(USA) web site | |
| See related story: Did Youth Triennium emphasize experience over Jesus? | |
| Editorial from the September/October issue of The Presbyterian Layman | |
| The Presbyterian Layman, current issue | |
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