Today, two buses will roll out from separate locations in the presbytery carrying 69 high school students, 10 adult leaders, and 2 young adult members of the work crew. They will be heading to the campus of Purdue University in Indiana for the Triennium Youth Gathering of the PCUSA.

Triennium is a weeklong event that happens every three years and brings high school students together from all over the country. During their week together, these students will get to hear inspiring stories of the ways God is at work in the world. They will meet in small groups to talk about things on their hearts, and they will have opportunities for a lot of fun together with other Presbyterian youth!

This year, the group attending is a good representation of the diversity of our presbytery. The 69 students who are attending include 11 African or African-American students, one student from the Czech Republic, and one student who is physically challenged. Students come from city churches, suburban churches, and rural churches.

The Presbytery has made this possible through funding from several sources. The Commission on Spiritual Leader Development has provided funding for the buses, incidentals such as T-shirts, and almost $4000 in scholarships. Several ministry groups have also provided scholarships for students from churches within their ministry group.

This is a large financial commitment, but the long-term impact of Triennium makes it a worthwhile investment. Some of the adult leaders who will be going have shared that Triennium was a life changing moment for them when they attended as students. Pastors have also shared that Triennium was a formative time for them in their call into full time ministry. Join us in praying that this week will be transformative for the students attending from our presbytery as they explore the things that are on God’s heart for the world.