CI-PNW: Take It to the Streets

CI-PNW wraps up 2012 by gathering young people for worship, small groups, and workshops
and to bring the word of God to both real and virtual mission fields.

Christmas Institute: Take It to the Streets | By Yvonne Agduyeng and Faith Sairez

It seems almost unreal that Christmas Institute 2012 (CI) has already concluded. Through God’s will and guidance, we have come back from a successful CI, bringing home with us long lasting lessons, friendships, and memories.

This year, CI is proving to continuously grow, bringing in 55 campers, and 16 of them first-timers. Delegates from all over the Pacific Northwest participated, including friends from Garden Street UMC, Beacon UMC, Ronald UMC, Lakeview Multicultural United Church (Canada), Kent UMC, First UMC of Canada, Bryn Mawr UMC, Silverdale UMC, Faith UMC, Ellensburg First UMC, and Lynden UMC.

The Firs (Bellingham, Wash.) hosted this year’s CI from December 26-30. In these five days, campers took part in meaningful worship, relevant workshops, engaging family groups, and a time of self-reflection.

The Bible study and activities at CI centered on the theme: “Take It to the Streets”. In the three full days of camp, we focused on why we were going on a journey, where we should go, and what would we need to bring with us. Campers were encouraged to follow the path that Jesus had started for us, to start with the people closest to us, and to bring only the most valuable equipment, ourselves.

Our scripture for this year, Matthew 10:5-8 (MSG), began by saying:

Jesus sent his twelve harvest hands out with this charge: ‘Don’t begin by traveling to some far-off place to convert unbelievers. And don’t try to be dramatic by tackling some public enemy. Go to the lost, confused people right here in the neighborhood. Tell them that the kingdom is here. Bring health to the sick. Raise the dead. Touch the untouchables. Kick out the demons. You have been treated generously, so live generously.’

Coincidentally, we had a total of 12 leaders at CI this year that had prepared to follow Jesus’ charge and to take it to the streets, CI-style.

CI 2012 was filled with daily rollercoaster of emotions. We laughed together until our sides ached, cried together until there were no more tissues left, raised our hands to God until our arms cramped, and praised God together until our voices cracked. Reflecting back, we realized why leaders devote so much of their time and energy to plan and execute a camp like this. The chance to become witnesses of how young people’s lives can transform and grow in their relationship with God was the greatest gift.

Hearing the testimonies of our campers encourages us to continue to do this work for the Lord:

“My favorite moment about CI wasn’t just seeing my friends or meeting new ones or having fun. My favorite part was learning to accept myself before I learn how to be a person to take it to the streets in all ways possible.” –MJ, 11th grade

“CI is important to me because I get to experience God in a different way. It’s sometimes easy to forget the way of a Christian during everyday life. There are so many responsibilities that we have. Going to CI is a time where I can separate myself from the world and just enjoy fellowship with other Christians. It gives me time to reflect on my life (especially in the past year) and use CI as a motivation to right my wrongs or change my behavior for the following year. It’s what I look forward to every year! (Almost more than Christmas.)” –Anthony, 11th grade

“CI is important to me because it’s the reason I’ve become close to God. I’d always gone to church before, but CI has shown my faith in a whole new light. Through CI, I realized so much about my faith and myself more so than I would have ever known without it. CI gave me a chance to look inside myself and find the support I needed, from God and from all the other CI campers (my second family), to keep on going on the journey that God has set out for me.” –Nica, 8th Grade

“CI 2012 was the first CI I’ve ever been to. CI is important to me because it gave me a reason to be closer with God. Even before I came to CI; I thought, ‘Yeah, I know God. I’m close to God. I love God.’ But through CI and even after, I now know the true meaning of becoming a believer of God. CI gave me a chance to look at myself from a different perspective. I wasn’t looking in the right direction for support, until CI. I know now that I’ve made new friends and throughout CI, they’ve become family. And now I know the true message God has for me, and that is to take it to the streets.” –Flordeliza, post high-school

As first year directors, CI 2012 would not have been possible without the help of our Leadership Team and the Support Team. We are thankful for all for their hard work and sleepless nights for the campers!

Also, we thank Pastors Shalom Agtarap, Conrado Gonzaga, Bing Canlas, and Mark Galang for sharing their messages with the campers. We would also like to thank the Commission on Ethnic Ministries of The Pacific Northwest Conference for their support in helping make camp possible this year.

And lastly, we would like to extend a big THANK YOU for our Co-Deans Pastors Shalom Agtarap and David Valera for their continual prayers and everlasting support. A new year has rung in and our feelings are mixed with sadness and nostalgia as we reflect on our time at CI 2012, but we are surely excited to begin planning for CI 2013! Blessings and prayers for the New Year and we hope to see you all again soon!

Editor’s note: This is a follow-up article from Channels 57, October 2012.
“Christmas Institute continues developing ethnic leadership within the PNW”
is available on the PNW News Blog: bit.ly/ci-pnw-leadership

Yvonne Agduyeng and Faith Sairez served as directors for Christmas Institute 2012.
For more photos from CI, visit bit.ly/ci-pnw-2012
This article will be featured in the upcoming January issue of Channels. Visit www.pnwumc.org/channels.