What do faith,
science, church services, zip lining, rock wall climbing, and "Minute to Win It" have in
common? To the average person, the answer would be “nothing!” However, if you
were to ask the participants of this year’s Annual Lenten Teen Retreat held at
the Taconic Retreat Center in Milan NY, they would be able to tie each of these
elements together because they were all components of the event held from
Friday, April 1 to Sunday, April 3, 2016.
Archbishop
Michael, together with Father Jason Vansuch (Chairperson, Department of Youth
Ministry)and the Department of Youth Ministry Assistants (Danielle Geeza and
Janine Alpaugh), developed a wonderful weekend program centered on the
sometimes controversial topics of Faith and Science and how they need not
oppose each other. Peter Parsells, MS,
PA-C and Heather Parsells, MD, an Orthodox married couple, led the educational
sessions during which they shared their testimonies as two Orthodox
professionals in the field of medical science. As medical
professionals, Peter and Heather are extensions of God’s grace. Heather, a
pediatric anesthesiologist, sees new life every day. Peter, a neuroscience
physician assistant, witnesses God's healing presence through medical
evaluations and procedures. Together, the couple compared and contrasted what
it means to be a person born into Orthodoxy who came to
discover the joys and wonders of science (Peter),
versus a person rooted in the academics of science who later
came to find the Orthodox Faith (Heather). Heather and Peter reminded
participants that we can be people with immense scientific intelligence who are
still grounded in our faith! They then went on to entertain questions from
participants.
A quaint chapel
was assembled in the upper room of the retreat center’s
main building on Friday afternoon
before participants arrived for registration, pizza, and icebreaker games later
that evening. The group was blessed to have Archbishop Michael preside at Saturday’s Memorial Divine Liturgy with Father Jason,
and then later in the evening at Great Vespers. During their free time on Saturday, the teens collectively played a heated game
of basketball, but only after having climbed the retreat center’s outdoor rock
wall and ziplining through its wooded property – a highlight of the weekend!
Following Vespers and dinner, the group was broken up into two teams and played
“Minute to Win It,” a fun-filled, competitive game
coordinated by Janine and Danielle and modeled after the
popular TV show. Participants stayed up late into the evening as they watched
the movie “Do You Believe?” with Archbishop Michael, and then proceeded to have
an informal Q&A session with their diocesan hierarch.
On the Sunday of the Veneration of the Cross, Father
Jason served Divine Liturgy following a lesson on the preparation of the bread
and wine, the Proskomedia.
The scent of incense lingered in the air after each service throughout the
weekend, leading many non-Orthodox from other visiting groups to sit in
meditation taking in the beauty of our icons and peaceful environment.
After Sunday breakfast, the weekend came to a close
with participants feeling spiritually renewed and having gained many new
Orthodox friends!
The Department of
Youth Ministry is excited to announce that the next Lenten Teen Retreat is
scheduled for March 2017, date and location to be determined! If you would like
to be put on an email list to be kept up to date on future youth activities,
please submit your information here: http://goo.gl/forms/L74QDAN2nY
