Kitchener Teen Retreat

You may think that a retreat with only 4 teens might be a disappointment. You would be wrong. What the group lacked in numbers it made up for in spirit, enthusiasm and deep connectedness.

Four boys, Cameron, Malcolm, Joshua and Joseph, met at 9 am on Saturday morning at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Kitchener, Ontario. Last year, 30 teens assembled at this same retreat, so one of the first things that we did was talk about the good things about a small gathering. With a small group, you can often be more flexible, have deeper, more meaningful discussions, go on different (more costly) outings and establish closer relationships. Rev. Alison, Rev. John, Steve and I were the leaders and our theme was "Wild or Tame: Finding Yourself in the Animal Kingdom". In the morning, Rev. Alison led us on a meditation to find our animal guide(s). During the guided meditation, Rev. Alison played soothing music and purified us with a sweetgrass smudge. Burning this most sacred herb brings in positive energy and helps to create the peaceful environment to allow your spirit animal to appear. Three of the teens visioned animals, Josh an eagle, Malcolm a turtle, and Joseph a wolf. Cameron did not vision an animal, so he was called, the seeker. Alison shared many resources with us and encouraged us to find personal meaning or message from our spirit animal by looking through Native American and Celtic druid books.

The four boys gathered with Rev. John in the afternoon to take an in depth look at Psalm 23. John explained how there are 150 Psalms in the Bible and that Psalm 23, one of the most beloved, is about God being our shepherd, or guide. The teens then were given freedom to create their own poem or song relating the strength of the Lord as reflected in animal guides. The boys wrote a wonderful poem that they titled "Psalm 151"

Psalm 151
By Cameron, Malcolm, Joshua and Joseph

I am a seeker who cannot find a guide.
I am slow and very knowledgeable like the earth.
I am a spiritual light to whom all people come.
I inspire energy, healing and aid.
I am a guardian of rituals, loyalty, and spirit.
I am a Seeker, I am a Turtle,
I am an Eagle, and I am a Wolf.
We are your guides.

Later in the afternoon, we were joined by Tanya, a modern dance and martial arts leader. Tanya taught us how to "score" a performance and then helped the teens create an original modern movement of the Psalm 151 poem. She provided encouragement and advise on how to bring the poem to life. Then she added music to play in the background during the movement and reading. After a couple of rehearsals in the sanctuary, the teens felt ready to share their creation with the congregation at the Sunday worship service.

In the evening, we were treated to a showing of "How to Train Your Dragon" in 3D. Then we went over to the Groleau's home where we joined with their boys (Rochelle is away) to enjoy their trampoline, fire pit and marshmallows, snacks and video games (plus lots and lots of yummy coffee for me!). We returned to the church around midnight with just enough time to play a little Sims 3 before bed.

Sunday morning, we gathered for a quick breakfast, cleaned up and prepared for worship. During the worship service, Josh played the keyboard during the Offertory. Then the four boys, Cameron, Malcolm, Joshua and Joseph performed Psalm 151 to close the worship service. I enjoyed the seeking of Cameron, the slow, deliberate turtle plodding of Malcolm, the wolf roaming of Joseph, and loved watching Josh fly like an eagle (I caught a video of it during rehearsal to share with you). I left the retreat feeling enlivened and free. It was an enlightening experience for me and I truly feel blessed to spend some time getting to know each of these teens better. Their talent and spirit inspires me and I look forward to visiting with them again soon.