Junior Weekend Advisor: Ava Lunsford (Episcopal Church of Our Saviour, Jacksonville)
Participant Registration Deadline: February 6, 2024
Team Application Deadline: January 23, 2024
Team Meeting: February 2-3, 2024 @ Episcopal Church of Our Saviour, Jacksonville
New Beginnings (NB) is a renewal retreat for youth in grades 6-8. It is led by high school youth, supervised by adults. NB is a weekend that explores friendships, family, and faith, and helps participants grow in their love of themselves, others and our Lord Jesus Christ. During the weekend, participants meet peers from across the diocese, enjoy skits, listen to talks, and participate in small group activities and discussions. These activities focus on self, friends, parents, siblings, school, God's love, prayer and the church. Free time is built in for youth to have an opportunity to fellowship with their newfound friends. Participants may attend NB each year that they remain in middle school.
Participants in NB do not have to be Episcopalians, but must be recommended through an Episcopal Church. Participants do not need a sponsor for the weekend; there will be adults on team to help supervise the weekend. Drop off is at 7 p.m. on Friday and pick up will begin at the conclusion of a closing Eucharist that will begin at 2:30 p.m. in Mandi's Chapel. The registration fee for the weekend is $150. Financial assistance is available; please contact the NB Lay Director, Angela Boyd or the Diocesan Director of Youth Programs, Samantha Marxsen.
The New Beginnings weekend is run by high school students (grades 9-12) and adult team members. Essential to this ministry is youth leadership that models a Christian community with love and acceptance of every member. Team roles include small group leaders, group helpers, music team, and prayer team. Team members must be actively involved in an Episcopal church or youth group. Once applications have closed, the core team will select team members for the weekend and assign each team member a role. Team members MUST be able to attend the team meeting and the entire NB weekend (from noon, Friday, February 16 until 5:00 p.m., Sunday, February 18).
Each New Beginnings weekend is headed up by a high school student, the Junior Weekend Advisor or JWA. Candidates for JWA need to have attended New Beginnings and/or Happening as a candidate. Preference will be given to those candidates who have served on New Beginnings and/or Happening teams.
Each team member and participant are responsible for their own transportation to and from camp. Please carpool with other youth in your area.
For more information, contact:
Lay Director: Angela Boyd
phone: 904-610-0776
agatorboyd@hotmail.com
Director of Youth Programs: Sam Marxsen
phone: 386-364-5250
sam@campweed.org