Make Way

Just before Holy Week, leaders from the DYM held a sleepover called “Make Way” to prepare the way for youth to enter meaningfully into Holy Week. This evolution of the Maundy Thursday Sleepover, which has been held over the years since its conception (originating as a Sorrento bus trip conversation between Judy Steers, Lauren Odile Pinkney, and Kingsley Blair), has been growing in popularity. Though it was paused for the pandemic, it was brought back and evolved to its new theme and time of the Friday before Holy Week, centered on the theme of “Make Way.” For the first time this year, the event was held at St. Laurence Coquitlam and Good Shepherd Lutheran and was done so with intentional invitations to youth involved in the Lutheran church in the lower mainland. This event has always been popular with the youth as it is accessible, educational, free, and oftentimes, a lot of chaotic but rewarding fun. Plus, who doesn't love sleeping on the church floor?

The event was planned and organized by our committed team of DYM leaders, including Jason Wood (St. Laurence Coquitlam), Neil Jongbloed (St. Albans, Burnaby), Talia Ferris, Stephanie Elder, Rev. Cameron Gutjahr (St. John the Divine, Squamish), Melissa Van Uum, Rev. Jonathan Pinkney (St. Christophers, West Vancouver), and Lauren Odile Pinkney (Missioner for Youth), with thanks and help from Rachel Genge (Good Shepherd Lutheran), Darya Saed (Good Shepherd Lutheran), Beth Bailey (St. Clements), and Rev. Helen Dunn (St. Clements). These leaders, over 24 hours, created safe and contemplative spaces for youth to explore their faith and the meaning of Easter and Holy Week through various curated activities.

The event began with what every youth event has started with—games to break the ice, giving youth a chance to get to know each other and the leaders with simple and fun games that help them find common ground, such as "do you prefer sushi or tacos?" This led us into our first piece of programming, which was based around the Stations of the Cross. We first discussed and learned together about what Holy Week is. We learned about the Triduum and the Easter story, and where we were in terms of preparations for Palm Sunday. A background of what the Stations of the Cross were about was explained, and sheets of visual inspiration were handed out to the various groups. Then, the youth were divided into groups, with each given a station of the cross and the corresponding story (taken from “The Way of the Cross: Holy Week 2020” from the Church of England, written by the “Cheam Team Ministry”). The youth were then provided with a variety of art supplies, including canvases, acrylic paints, clay, and collage materials, to name a few, and had an hour to work together to curate and create their interpretations of the stations of the cross.

After the paint dried and a refreshment break, the youth in their groups walked around the church to the different locations of each of the stations that the other youth had created. It was quite moving to see such beautiful pieces of artwork that had been thoughtfully and prayerfully made. We finished the walk in the sanctuary with the last station where Christ is laid in the tomb, saving all resurrection mentions for Easter Sunday, of course!

Then, our contemplation time was followed by the utter chaos of a wide game, created by the DYM and appropriately named “Chicken Run,” which was an adaptation of Capture the Flag and an Easter egg hunt. It got very competitive, and we were glad to have used plastic eggs and not real ones! Leaders and youth alike had to engage in mildly degrading chicken impressions at various stages of the game, and some fond memories, with a lot of competitive rivalries, were formed by the end of the game. After a break and setting up for bed, the youth ended their day with a movie night in the sanctuary before settling for sleep in the safety of the space around the altar.

The next morning, after little to no sleep, the youth packed up and headed over to Good Shepherd Lutheran where we were met by Bishop John Stephens and Lutheran Bishop Kathy Martin for “Breakfast with the Bishops.” Over hot chocolate and Timmy’s breakfast sandwiches, the youth sleepily began to wonder what they might ask the Bishops in the fishbowl Q&A. We then headed over to the sanctuary for our session with the Bishops, with some great questions like “What would you do if you won the lottery?” to questions around mental health like “How do you deal with fear?” The Bishops navigated all the deep theological, spiritual, and whimsical questions they were given, and it was great to have the Lutheran and Anglican youth in the room represented. Ending with closing morning worship with music led by Jason Wood and liturgy led in turn by the two Bishops, youth managed a few worship and action songs before heading back to St. Laurence for pick up.

With a huge thank you to Bishop John and Bishop Kathy, as well as Rev. Joanne Epply-Schmidt, Interim Priest in Charge at St. Laurence, Coquitlam, and their community, as well as Pastor Eric Krushel at Good Shepherd Lutheran and everyone in their community for allowing the DYM to use these beautiful buildings and to invite and empower youth into creativity and contemplation ahead of Easter.

If you would like to see and use the stations of the cross designed by the youth, there is a PDF below.