Synod Youth Workshop

From Charles Teykl (1965)    Key ingredients: acceptance and openness 

The invitation letter I received to be a small group leader in the 1965 Synod Youth Workshop on Local Church Program invited me to participate “in one of the most exciting ventures you will ever enjoy.” And was it ever!  

I believe this event was the first one to focus on the workshop method where much time was spent in small groups of about 15 youth and adults, “study, go, serve” groups, where we combined Bible study examining mandates of the Gospel related to ministry in human need, field trips in the community to experience situations of human need highlighted in the Bible study, and an evening in town with our small group. Beyond the learning, we were building a sense of community among youth and adults. 

Participants could choose from a list of about 15  topics. My groups focus was “Poverty and Welfare.” We focused on Biblical passages dealing with that theme, then visited various agencies in San Antonio to see what they did. In those days, SYW was sponsored by the Synod of Texas in the former UPCUSA and was held at Trinity University for several years.  

What impacted me was the intense focus on one area of concern in Scripture and the work done by the agencies and commitment of the persons involved, the relationships developed among youth and adults (we became a family unit), dynamic worship and singing, fun recreation and excitement among the participants. The acceptance and openness among youth and adults were key ingredients. For two youth, in particular, these relationships made a big difference in their lives, as they shared difficulties they were experiencing and felt the support and encouragement of the group or the individual with whom they shared. I was in my fourth year of ministry, and this experience and subsequent ones two other years helped shape my ministry for years to come. I am grateful to the Prentice Barnetts, Bob Thompsons, Stew Coffmans, and many others who made such an event possible. 

The other component in 1965 was that each working group was to simulate a local church youth group experiencing the “Dynamic Approach to the Ministry of Senior Highs,” a workbook produced by the Synod. That resource influence what many of us did for a few years in youth ministry, focusing on worship, study and service. 

Charles Teykl, then pastor of Westminster Presbyterian Church, Baytown, TX, now retired and living in Rosenberg, TX.

4-8-07

(c) 2006-2007 Synod of the Sun.     Office located in the Presbyterian Mission Center:

 Synod of the Sun, 6100 Colwell Blvd., Ste. 200, Irving, TX 75039    

Send e-mail to syw @ godspacesyw.com (copy and remove spaces in your e-mail program)