We’ve discovered something amazing out here in Arizona working with the youth. If we invite the teen council to help design an event, almost every time we put something together they change it by adding additional worship services.
So, being quick to pick up on things like this, the Diocese of Arizona Youth department decided to try adding to its traditional offerings of Summer Camp and Dodgeball and acolyte event. But not just any acolyte event, the teens decided that they wanted to do an Xtreme sport version that they called the “Acolyte Olympics”.
About 50 kids showed up along with their clergy, acolyte captains and parents from all over the state. They had competitions ranging from the eXtreme Thurifer team competition to the Ultimate Gospel procession line up. And scattered in between the competitions there were coaching sessions by the Archdeacon (The Ven. Cn. Veronica Ritson), clergy and youth leaders and a few of the diocese’s finest thurifers.
You can see the poster that the Youth Department created here.
And there’s a gallery of pictures (including this reporter) posted here.
The day ended with a “high-church” style worship service (again at the teen’s request). Much pizza was had by all.
Sadly the eXtreme Thurifer dance off was not recorded. This year.