Part of our role of people of faith in the world is to care for those who are struggling. Auckland City Mission is a key part of that work in the Auckland Anglican Diocese, and we love to encourage our young people to connect with the wider mission of our church. Taking on a challenge together and for something beyond ourselves is great for building community amongst our young people.
Efest is our Diocesan Youth camp for young people from across the Diocese.
We gather to grow in our relationship with God and each other, through worship, teaching, activities and sports. Of course the opportunity to spend extended time together goes to developing our relationships with each other as well. Willow Park is a great environment, close to the city, to Eastern Beach and with facilities for all. Our leaders who need to bring their families are welcome, and there is accommodation that can work for you.
Please don’t hesitate to talk to Steph if you have any questions.
If you are a church who does not have young people at present, but still longs to see young people grow and flourish in our parishes, there are two significant ways you can support youth ministry. You can pray, and Steph is happy to send out prayer points if you would like me too. Secondly, for many families camps can put a significant strain on the budget, especially when there are two or three teenagers in the home. If you would like to sponsor young people onto camp, please have a chat to Steph.
Youth Hui is the opportunity for young people to reflect and have their say about the present and future of the wider church, and elect our 6 youth representatives.
Click the link below to check out our 2025 calendar
This is a full and complete calendar, so it holds Youth events – Purple, Youth leader opportunities (for communities of learning, events and connection ) – Aqua, National opportunities and events – Pink, Children, Youth and Families connection points, and finally, but importantly Lay leadership opportunities – Red
Youth Events – Purple
Throughout the year we are running combined events for youth groups to gather together, to worship, play sports and work out conundrums. This year we will be running our worship and sports events on Friday night and Sunday afternoon/evening to allow for those youth groups who may struggle to get to Friday night events due to other commitments. We are also looking outward with opportunities to fundraise for the Auckland City Mission in March, and purchase toys for those families who are struggling who ATWC connect with, in November.
Youth Leaders – Aqua – Leaders Connect & Leaders Connect The Hub
We have opportunities to connect in person and online this year, we have Efest leaders meetings in February, Leaders Retreat in July, Youth leaders Connect in September, The Abbey in August, and the Hubs throughout the year.
The Hub – 4 throughout the year, 1 each term –
Purpose: to offer opportunities for continual reflection on youthwork practice – This years subjects are… Youth 101, Youth protection, Starting a youth ministry, Finding and adapting resources. Steph & O’Love will be our leaders and we will be connecting with other leaders from throughout the Diocese over lunch and our starting reflection. Links for signing up through the year will be posted here and through our usual channels, ensure you sign up to the youth stream and these will be free of charge to youth leaders. The Hub is for Lay Leaders from throughout the Diocese in all sorts of fields, so its a great opportunity to meet other leaders over lunch and in our combined session. Then we divide out into our different topics.
There is also an opportunity to explore a silent retreat, in the middle of the year. This is not an entire day of silence, rather an exploration of what it’s all about, and then a testing of the waters journey. Another tool in our kite of caring for our personal faith, in the midst of giving out constantly through our ministries.
National events – Pink
Largely covers The Priory block course, and Steph being away a couple of times, and of course our highly anticipated trip to The Abbey in Waikanae each year, our national youth leaders gathering.
CYF – Red
Finally, some of you cover not only youth, but children and families, and while this is pretty unique, it’s great, to be connecting both with each other, and all those involved in children & families ministries, and in youth ministry as people leading significant lay ministries across our Diocese. So, there is an opportunity to connect in person and online throughout the year.