Convention 2010!

Well, another Convention has come and gone and all that remains are the collection of memories from that wonderful event. I sometimes like to wait a bit before I write about an experience to see what sticks. So, now after 10 days has past since we all departed St. Paul, I sit and listen to Mozart and Chopin and wait for images and thoughts float to the surface.

I see teen girls on the lawn of the quad at St. Thomas finger painting the ocean.

I see Cody playing Frisbee keep away with Holly, Janice, Jon and me.

I see the faded red Clifford anxiously awaiting its next call into service.

I hear the laughter and screams of teens on rides at Valleyfair and the Mall of America (can you see any SCYL girls in this video?).


I feel myself bobbing in the refreshing waves at the wave pool.

I hear the beautiful duet of Nina and Janice covering Sea of Love in the dimly glowing candlelight.

I see the teen girls coming to get Jon in his room shortly after his arrival to welcome him into the group.
I see colored seeking stick notes being formed into a rainbow.

I see teens gathering together to sing Hallelujah.

I remember Junchol's talk about the Buddha and the emotional exchange about the trading card raffle dilemma.

I feel the cool, clammy air in the cave and think about the spirits floating about there.

I see teens lined up at the bar!

I remember Cody calling Jon "Whatever" when we picked him up at the airport.

I recall our discussions about what we are seeking.

I remember how cool, resourceful and organized Liz was in the airport on our return trip.
I think about lining up for a picture in front of the wrong Clifford and wonder what the people who owned it would have thought if they saw.

I will never forget Nina's emotionally touching President address and how the SCYL truly is a home for many teens.

I love the community that you teens have created and wish every person could find a place where they feel they belong. I pray that through the SCYL and Convention experiences some of you teens do discover this sense of belonging. You are all amazing and I treasure the opportunity to work and play in your presence.

SCYL fundraiser tshirts for sale this summer at Convention, Almont and Fryeburg camps. Fun to make, fun to wear and you help a teen attend a youth program! Lots of BIG sizes, lots of little sizes (especially for girls) but not too many mediums this time around. Get yours soon before they sell out.

Teen Profile: Alice

Hi! I'm Alice and a ton of you probably don't know me because I haven't been to a ton of retreats partly because I live so far away from where they happen. I have lived in Olympia Washington (yes that's relatively near Seattle) my entire life and have been to Almont summer camp every other summer since I was five. This last winter I also attended Almont winter retreat which was great! Olympia is a pretty great town with a lot of local and youth theater. I spend most of my time doing homework (pretty lame huh) and hanging out in my house with my cats and reading and playing piano and, oh yeah, homework ;). When I have free time I enjoy playing frisbee and doing other various activities with my friends. Today I am going bowling with them (since I learned how at winter retreat) and then watching Star Wars movies. I also enjoy singing and learning French!

Downtown Olympia

The most exiting thing I've done recently is without a doubt my trip to France over spring break. This trip was with Kids in Koncert which is a youth choir in Olympia that is connected with the summer theater program I have been involved with every summer since I was five. This year, the choir was made up of kids ages 9-19 and everything in between. This video is of my choir and I singing at our final concert (the only one in Paris). You are probably wondering why you can't understand what we are singing. That is because it's in French. However, you might recognize the song because it is from the musical Les Misérables which was originally a french musical but was made popular when it was produced in English in London. It has since been translated back into French and a ton of other languages and is one of my personal favorites.

Most of our time in France was spent in Rodez, a small town in southern France (6 out of 7 days) and I had an amazing time. All of the kids stayed with host families which was amazing and the parents who came along stayed in a hotel. I was sorry to come home but we eat a lot more cheese now...

Now I'm busy finishing up my sophomore year in high school and am exited for summer when I will, among other things, be performing in The Sound of Music, learning to drive, going river rafting with some friends, and visiting my half brother, his wife and their 1 year old son in Nevada.

Memorial Day Retreat

There was heaven and hell at this retreat and it was amazing. Those of you who were there, know all about this. Those of you who weren't, well, you will soon see why! The teens made a movie. Making a movie might have been one of the coolest things we've ever done at a retreat. Instead of our usual sessions, teens worked together to created an original story that reflected an aspect of our Swedenborgian faith. Then they set up and filmed scenes. I know that some teens may not have been into it as much as others, and that some people may have missed our regular sessions; but, I think this was one of the most creatively exciting things the SCYL has done in a long time. The main movie theme that the teens worked on centered around love and relationships (including same sex and harmful), and how the decisions you make here on earth effect your future soul after you die.

Emily and Nina in "Heaven"
The main character, played by Nina, reflects on her past in her diary as she nears the end of her life. Scenes dramatize characters here on earth who later die and reappear in the afterlife. The scene of the ladies in hell definitely creeped me out. Adults may find the movie edgy and controversial. Some in the church may even find it a touch offensive, but it does represent the best of heaven and the worst of hell (both here on earth and in the next life). It is deeply personal, emotionally charged, and it reflects how teenagers look at, struggle with and vision relationships. Most importantly, it is uniquely teen and is not something that adults created or coerced. Teen energy and life force drove the production and it shows. I also think everyone gained some spiritual insight into the nature of heaven and hell. For me, this retreat helped me remember how real and seductively dangerous demons and hellish influences can be. The decision to choose hell over heaven is very tempting and the teens did an amazing job depicting this in their movie.

Nina, Audrey, Izzy and Molly in "Hell"

Celie and Cody took the video clips home and as editors extraordinaire, are working to pull it all together with into something meaningful and understandable. In addition to working on the main feature, the teens were also captured on video discussing religion, retreats as well as some singing and playing guitar. I can't wait to see the finished products as I am sure that several different versions will be created for different audiences and purposes. In one version, selected readings from Swedenborg's works concerning choice, freedom, community, heaven and hell will be added between scenes. I am so proud of all the teens and how hard everyone worked on this project. Everyone did something - writing, directing, acting, coaching, makeup, scene, set design, etc. Thank you all for making this a Memorial Day retreat to remember. Prior to the retreat, I wrote in the retreat flyer, "I have witnessed time and time again your imaginative, inspiring and original creations. You are gifted and beautifully spiritual. You are amazing! Bring sheet music, instruments and your own unique talent. It is time to share your gifts with the world." You clearly have done this and I am blessed to have been a part of that experience. You guys rock and continue to astound me!!!

Teen Profile: Naomi

Buongiorno, hello, my name is Naomi. I'm not very good at writing letters and stuff about myself, I always think of what I should have said after I submit my writing. So bear with me. I live near a pretty cool city called Cleveland. It's a lot of fun, has an awesome independent theater, beautiful parks and museums, and frikin awesome pizzerias. I am passionate about films, watching them, not being in them. Music can easily change my mood, from one extreme to the other. Umm....weird, different, and odd anythings are what I prefer. Conformity is a waste. Going to retreats opens my mind about the world every time I go. Spending time in nature and with my bestiest best friend make me super-D duper happy. My bestiest best friend and I job hunt all the time, we've filled out many applications and done many odd jobs, but never have time to splurge at concerts....the biggest dream I have is to spend a week or more in every country in the world and learn whole or part of the languages in the process. Second to that dream is to go to Lollapoloza when MGMT and Green Day are on tour which would be this summer btw, but it is way too expensive at the moment.

Both of these paintings were done when I was in 8th grade (2007-2008) and both done in watercolor.

This painting with a cigarette in it was basically my inspirations and feelings of that school year (which was the best year ever besides kindergarten). The floral makeup and pop art represented my feelings of confidence and peace.

The girl in the melting kimono is my favorite painting that I had ever done, I have written this sentence 5 times and cannot find a good way to describe it any better than the fact that it's simple, eerie, and has the 3 best colors in it: grey, purple, and blue.

In that art class I sat with 3 really artsy kids and one who was not at all. One of the artsy kids was depressed most of the time, the other one was a bubbly shy girl who loved the color pink, and the last chick was a mixture of the two. Those girls and my crazy art teacher, made that year the best year I've ever had in art. Why are all art teachers crazy by the way?

Convention Registration

This Friday, May 14, your Convention registration is due. If you would like to go to Convention, please contact me asap so I can help you.

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.