January 2017 Newsletter
Begin 2017 together in community with other young people in faith -- from retreats that will explore inner faith, to direct action and organizing in support of youth jobs and justice, read about the following events. Also see the  Resources for Youth Ministry feature story about how to help fund your own youth ministry initiative.
Registration Closing Soon: High School Retreat
Come enjoy the midwinter beauty at the Barbara C. Harris Camp, and meet young people and adults from all over the diocese!

We will have small group workshops, indoor and outdoor games, worship that gets you both moving and thinking, live music, and above all, time away from the stress of everyday life, so that we can pay a little more attention to the Spirit of God!

February 3-5, 2017

Friday to Sunday

Barbara C. Harris Camp
An International Happening!
Apply to Attend Episcopal Youth Event

Applications are now available to attend the Episcopal Youth Event (EYE) this summer. Over a thousand young people, grades 9-12 and their adult mentors, will attend. High school senior Avery Nasworthy from St. Andrew’s in Ayer is on the national planning team and promises that this event will be “pretty sweet.”

The trip is subsidized in part by the diocesan Office of Youth Ministry, but some fundraising by participants will be required to cover travel costs. This gathering only happens every three years, and there are a limited number of registrations allowed from each diocese, so early application is encouraged.
July 10-14, 2017
Univ. of Central Oklahoma

***The registration deadline is Feb. 15, 2017, or whenever the trip reaches capacity.

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Youth Organizing and Advocacy Opportunity 
February 23, 2017
11:00am start 
138 Tremont Street
Join young people from across the diocese: together in partnership learn how to build power and make change on issues that young people care about on the state level.

The event concludes with a group action to demand a state budget that invests in youth.
Two PreConfirmation Retreats in 2017
Sign up today to attend a PreConfirmation Retreat. There are chances for young people to meet other young people discerning their call to Confirmation or even the faith journey in general.

Each of the retreats will begin on a Friday night at 7:00pm, and will finish by 4:00pm on Saturday afternoon. Because these are one night retreats, we do pack a lot into 20 hours!
 March 17-18, 2017
or
April 7-8, 2017

at Barbara C. Harris Camp
Greenfield, N.H.
Resources for Youth Ministry
Church Home Society Grants 

Supporting Programs that Support Young People

Apply Online for Funding

Do you need financial support for youth programs? The Church Home Society is a non-profit related to the Diocese of MA; their mission is to support young persons between nine and twenty-five years of age in ministries that need financial assistance starting-up, stabilizing, or expanding. Grants generally range from $500 to $10,000.

Examples of programs that have received funding in the past include:

  • Youth leadership training
  • Community-building projects
  • Vocational assistance
  • Programs that promote healthy living

Requests for funding are made by online or paper application, which are accepted and reviewed three times a year: the next deadline is March 1, 2017. Applicants are asked to complete a self-screening questionnaire before filling out a grant application form, accessed on the Church Home Society website: