Presbyterian Youth Connection
	Connecting young people to each other, the whole church, and the whole world through faith in Jesus Christ.				Melodyjoy Teeter has been hired as Youth Director at 1st Presbyterian of Las Cruces. She comes from Washington state, is 23 years old, and has been preparing for a career in Christian service since she was 16!

PYC Fall Retreat	Taize 2007 The Trip to Taize is just around the corner! It is scheduled from March 26, 2007, through Palm Sunday. Contact Rev. Stephen Deutsch in Dexter for details. Below, read reflections from last year's trip!
Camp Chimney Spring

Church of the Reconciliation	Breakfast at Taize	Taize Village, France	Some New Mexicans in Europe!

Youth Trip to Taizé: March 27-31, 2006

Last year's Presbytery youth trip to Taizé was so wonderful that we vowed to do it again. We learned a lot and took notes to make this year's trip even smoother and to be able to answer more questions for those planning to go. There were eleven who went this year, who would love to talk to your youth and parents about their experience.

The focus of the Taizé ministry is on the spiritual and religious development of youth, and liturgical renewal. Any given week sees thousands of visitors there, participating in the regimen of thrice-daily worship, group Bible study, and personal contemplative prayer. Taizé is famous the world over for its music. Three times a day, everything on the hill of Taizé stops: the work, the Bible studies, the discussions. The bells call everyone to church for prayer. Hundreds or even thousands of mainly young people from all over the world pray and sing together with the brothers of the community. Scripture is read in several languages. In the middle of each common prayer, there is a long period of silence, a unique moment for meeting with God.

Check out the Taizé website ( www.taize.fr/ ) for their history and for more information. You are encouraged to call the Presbytery office (623-6235) or Stephen Deutsch (734-5797) with questions and to express an interest in going.

Presbyterian Youth Connection (or "PYC") of Sierra Blanca Presbytery is an active, cutting-edge ministry in the life of Presbyterians here in southern New Mexico. PYC gatherings have drawn over a hundred young people to overnighters and weekend gatherings around the Presbytery, where faith is shared, songs are sung, and fun times abound.  PYC has done everything from praise God from the clifftop following a technical rock climb, to getting crazy with the Austin College "ACtivators".

Presbyterian Youth Connection is built on the five intentions of the Presbyterian Youth Ministry:

* To call young people to be          disciples of Jesus Christ
* To respond to the needs and       interests of young people
* To work together, youth and      adults, in partnership
* To be connected to the whole    church, community and world
* To include all young people,      reaching out and inviting them to belong to the community of  faith

    Vision Statement for Presbyterian Youth Ministry

We Are Children of God

We are female and male, of all ages and conditions.

We come from many social, economic and racial/ethnic backgrounds. As God's children we are called into a loving relationship with our Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer. We experience God's love as the Holy Spirit leads us in the living of life.

We Are Presbyterians

We are part of the Reformed family of faith.

We experience God's love and grace through prayer, worship, service, the study of scripture and history, our participation in the church as the Body of Christ, our partnership with people of other faiths, and our ministry of seeking justice for all people.

We are a vital part of the church and its mission. Through youth ministry we are nurtured as the church responds to our needs and interests and as we give and share ourselves in the church's mission and ministry.

We have a Vision of Youth Ministry in the Church

Where each young person is called to be a disciple of Jesus Christ and is helped to grow in a dynamic , genuine and meaningful faith.

Where young people are involved throughout the church's life and are able to take risks in a supportive community without fear of rejection;

Where young people are educated in their congregations and in institutions both secular and sacred, and are supported in their quest for truth and knowledge in all disciplines.

Where youth and adults together as partners create a community which celebrates diversity and cherishes each other's gifts,

Where youth are challenged and enabled to respond to God's call to wholeness in their lives and in the world, and

Where young people discover and claim over and over again the Good News of God's redeeming love and sustaining love.

 

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