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
Climate Motivators wrap up but the work continues
The summer of 2023 has flown by, and for many, it was marked by extensive wildfires whose intensity and frequency have been linked to climate change. We need some hope and renewed commitments as we see the impacts of climate change, and in this...
Youth Climate Motivators working in our midst this summer!
Three Prairie to Pine youth accepted jobs through a General Council and Government of Canada program where they will be working on, and learning about, climate issues and activism in an online setting with peers across Canada. They'll also get...
A Wonderful Celebration of a Beautiful Mural
Sunday, May 28th, Harrow United Church and the Walking Together Youth Grant Team hosted the community in a celebration of a mural that was 2 years in the imagining and the making, and well worth the wait in learning, collaborating, dreaming and...
Remembering the Fun of Zeebu 2023
Zeebu 2023 was held at Knox United Church in Brandon, Feb 18th to 20th, 2023. One of our young adult leaders took on the role of photographer, so we have LOTS of great photos that capture some of the fun we had! Click link below to learn a bit...
Beautiful Mural Graces Harrow United Church
Photo: End of mural installation day. Artists & crew gather in circle with representatives of grant team, youth painters and Harrow UC to hear some of the thoughts and feelings shared by Indigenous artist, Jeannie Whitebird Join us at Harrow...
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
Minnedosa, MB
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.
- Neechi Camp is a 4 or 5 day summer camp where Indigenous and non-Indigenous youth build friendships while learning from Indigenous elders and other community members about their way of life and their spirituality. This is done through hands-on experiences on the land. These experiences vary from year to year, but may include fishing, making hand drums, rattles, or ribbon skirts, cooking, learning dances and ceremonial drum songs, taking part in a sweat lodge ceremony, language learning, story telling, campfires, and games. As organizers, our hope is that the friendships made, teachings learned, and new activities tried will make a difference in the campers’ lives and in our journey as a community working towards reconciliation! To learn more and/or read a campers story see: Bradley’s Neechi Camp Experience
- 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. For more information, click here.
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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.
