CLAY 2023 Gathering

I am just back from CLAY (Canadian Lutheran Anglican Youth Gathering) and let me tell you; The Church is not dying. 

The conference took place in Waterloo Ontario, at Laurier University. CLAY has been a place for youth from across Canada to come and connect to each other and God since 1966. In 2010, the gathering became a joint gathering of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) and the Anglican Church of Canada (ACC). CLAY aims to affirm to youth that are valued children of God, celebrate the Full Communion relationship of the ELCIC and the ACC, and encourage youth to live out that relationship in their home contexts. Offering varied worship experiences that help youth connect word and sacrament to their daily Christian life, empowering them to return home and share what's been learned and experienced with others.

CLAY runs every 2 years, but due to the pandemic has not met in person for almost 5 years. Many older youth and young adults came to faith and were transformed by their experience of CLAY. It’s run by the ELCIC and ACC youth staff, Deacon Gretchen Peterson (ELCIC) & Sheilagh McGlynn (ACC). Alongside the staff persons, the NPC (National Planning Committee has been meeting and planning, some for as many as 5 years to make this event possible. Jordan Smith and I, have worked closely together to facilitate and plan this gathering and support the NPC members in their various areas to make our dreams, thoughts and ideas, a reality! 

The gathering consisted of Large Group Gatherings (LGGs), Worship, Workshops, Indigenous teaching and wisdom sharing, games, dances, scavenger hunts, a Pride Party and even a Bishop vs Bishop game of Hungry Hungry Hippos. The LGGs, worship and dances were so energetic and fun, it was clear youth had not had this experience of being together in this way for a long time.

The gathering gave youth time to not only ponder important issues that relate to them but also to speak with and get to know leaders across the ACC and ELCIC. This breaks down barriers and empowers youth to find, own and use their voice. The Rev. Nathan Fong of Grace Lutheran Church (Burnaby, B.C.) and the Rev. Aneeta Saroop of Spirit of Life Lutheran Church (Vancouver, B.C.) were the keynote speakers. They did an amazing job of affirming that youth are loved, valued and seen for all they are and all they bring to church. I am particularly excited to see how we might connect with them in future in this Diocese. The theme for this year's CLAY was “Ashes & Embers.” Pastor Nathan offered his perspective on the theme:

“Ashes & Embers is about picking up the pieces of our lives and seeing where God might be in the midst of it. Because we collectively had a difficult time over the past three years as a country, it’s a very appropriate time to explore this. The truth is, God is with us always, in the sparks of hope and the raging fires of life, but also in the ashes and embers after the sparks and flames have gone down. The trick is in learning how to recognize God’s face and presence even when all that seems impossible. This is what we hope to do this weekend: to see God with us through our stories, our relationships, and all the ups and downs that pepper our experiences, making us who we are as God’s people in the world.”

Although numbers may have been higher pre-pandemic, the energy and engagement from the youth was palpable. One highlight was in the closing keynote addresses from Pastor Nathan and Pastor Aneeta, when the youth gave a standing ovation to the emotional stories that they shared. The youth also loved learning from Mohawk woman Dawn Maracle—who sits with Bear Clan and is the Animator of Indigenous Justice in the Anglican Church of Canada. She taught the youth Mohawk, led a smudging ceremony, and shared some of her stories. The youth all wanted selfies with Dawn, and often said hi to her in Mohawk each day.

As part of my role as Vice-Chair and assistant with Communications for CLAY, I made the following video to highlight the fantastic fun, memories and learning that took place. A personal high for me was when the quote at the end of the video played: “Youth are not just the church of tomorrow, youth are the church of today.” A cheer and applause rose up from the crowd, and I may have shed a tear of the joy of affirmation of what has always felt like my life’s work - which is to affirm the significance of children and young people in the church. This moment certainly felt like a glimpse of that.

Of course, this is only the beginning. As a Chair for next year’s CLAY gathering, I’ll be part of a team that will need to build from here. The work is only just beginning. From the ashes there are embers, and we must work to keep that fire going.