Young Adults and Youth in Prairie to Pine
The Young Adult And Youth (YAAY) Committee encourages all youth to participate in activities in their home congregations, in events in the area and in regional gatherings. Youth are also given many opportunities for leadership at youth events and by filling positions on the YAAY Committee. (Click here to learn more about this important committee and who serves on it.)
What is YAAY?
This community and program provides opportunities for young adults and youth to connect with other people who share similar values as their own. This is done through semi-annual young adult-led youth retreats, area-based travelling youth groups, young adult gatherings, and other events. Read on for more details!
Connect with us!
Instagram: @prairie2pine_yaay
Facebook: Prairie to Pine United Church Young Adults and Youth
Have an event that you want to advertise on YAAY social media? Email a poster to p2pyaay@gmail.com
Young adults and youth news
United Church Summer Camps in Prairie to Pine Region
Did you know that there are two active United Church summer camps in our region? Rock Lake United Church Camp is located in southern Manitoba and Wellman Lake United Church Camp is further north in Duck Mountain Provincial Park. Both are beautiful...
Zeebu 2026 – Knowing Our Neighbors: Many Religions, One Community
From February 20 to 22, at Harrow United Church, 39 regional youth gathered for a memorable retreat with the theme “Knowing Our Neighbors: Many Religions, One Community.” The weekend was filled with learning, new experiences, meaningful...
Youth Job Opportunities
Explore summer youth job opportunities that help you gain real experience and grow your skills in a supportive and welcoming environment! The programs give young people the chance to earn income while learning valuable workplace habits that will...
Sharing Across Cultures 2025
On November 15 the United Church community gathered for Sharing Across Cultures. The event celebrated diversity, learning and connection. About 40 People came together to honor many cultures and share in meaningful experiences. Those who attended...
Events For Youth And Young Adults This Holiday Season
As the holiday season approaches, our community is gearing up for a series of exciting youth and young adult events designed to celebrate the spirit of the season. From festive gatherings to skill-building workshops, this year’s lineup offers...
What is a Youth Retreat?
A youth retreat is… well, it’s a lot of things! Mostly, it’s a great opportunity to meet lots of people and make new friends from all over our Prairie to Pine Region (Manitoba and North Western Ontario). It’s a time to laugh, learn, worship, dance, sing, talk, and more. It’s a chance to explore and deepen our faith in God in new and exciting ways. It’s a safe, warm, welcoming, and friendly environment where you can just be yourself! Everybody is accepted, and nobody is judged.
Our Two Retreats
Two region wide youth retreats are held each year for youth grade 7 to 12. The Zeebu Retreat is held on the February long weekend of Family Day (ON)/Louis Riel Day (MB). The Alf retreat is held in October, two weekends after Thanksgiving.
Why the names ALF and Zeebu?
The theme of the first ALF in 1987 was Adolescents Learning about Families (ALF). The second year was Adolescents Learning about Friends. Now the theme strays from the acronym, but the over-arching purpose of the retreat continues to be Adolescents Learning about Faith.
The Zeebu retreat was started by a group of youth in Russell, MB in 1994 and did not have a name the first year. Legend states that there was a stuffed animal named “Zeebu” present at that retreat and the retreat from then on took on the name “Zeebu.”
Letter: Inclusive dorm model
Health Form – alternate to one in online registration
Upcoming Retreat:
ALF 2026
October 23rd – 25th 2026
Home Groups
Worship
Music
Theme Time
Social Time
For more info, click here to email Twila
Events
The Prairie to Pine YAAY committee organizes and collaborates on events for youth and young adults of all interests to come together in community, whether locally or nationally or in between.
If you are interested or have any questions about our youth events, contact Twila by email at TMacNair@united-church.ca
Events in our region
- Regional retreats, Alf and Zeebu are both overnight retreats that include 2 full days of activities and fun for grades 7-12. For more detail look at the “Our Two Retreats” section above.
- Travelling Youth Group (TYG) is a still evolving opportunity for youth and leaders from different churches in and around Winnipeg to plan a youth group “evening” in their own church, to which they invite other youth. This allows small groups, even churches with one youth, to feel their planning effort is more worthwhile because they can plan for a larger group and know that other groups will reciprocate and plan something to which they can then take their youth. This significantly cuts down the work-load of one youth leader while introducing their youth to a wider circle of United Church peers. “Travelling Youth Group” events have typically been held on a Friday from 7 to 9 pm for grades 6 and up, but aren’t limited to this. For Planning, see: Resources and Ideas for Travelling Youth Group and Template for a 2 Hour Youth Group. The template is a tool, not a required format.
- YARG (Ages 18-30) or Young Adult Recreational Gatherings, are events put on by the Prairie to Pine YAAY committee. They aim to bring young adults together to grow friendships, and strengthen the young adult community in the United Church. Past events include potlucks, karaoke or games nights, and volunteering events.
National Opportunities
- Collective, is a spirit-filled gathering for youth, young adults, and their leaders, offering participants a space to grow in faith, build community, and reflect on shared experiences. The gathering includes three dedicated streams (youth, young adults, leaders), with programming that will encourage participants to wrestle with big ideas, engage in thought-provoking discussions, build confidence, and develop their leadership skills.
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Youth Forum (Ages 15 to 19) takes place in the year of a General Council (GC) meeting. Youth Forum gives young people the chance to gather with youth representatives from other regions while learning about how decisions are made in the United Church of Canada. Youth also have time to discuss issues they feel are affecting them.
