Adventures of Sophomores @PYT2010

I would have to say that Triennium 2010 was the best week I have had this summer! It was an experience to see 5,000 other people worship in generally the same way we do. At our church, we will get probably around 100'ish people at every service. But to see 5,000 stand up and praise is truly an awesome thing to see!

Almost everything about this week I enjoyed. The sermons were all amazing, especially the last two we heard by Founder and Senior Pastor Rev. Graham Baird of Highlands Church, Paso Robles, California and the Rev. Dr. Tom Compolo, an Eastern College Sociology professor in Pennsylvania.

The food was good, we met new friends and became closer with old ones. Probably the best thing about the week was hearing the band, The Great Romance, play at the services. I don’t generally like Christian Rock bands, but there was something special about these guys. (Look them up.) I don’t regret this week in any way, and I hope to be there for Triennium 2013!

Emma Williams
Heartland Presbyterian Church, Clive

In the past year I have heard so many stories from my mother about her experience at the Presbyterian Youth Triennium. She told me how exciting it was to meet new people and how it was the first place she felt truly popular. Generally things that helped her grow socially.

My experience was almost completely different. Instead of new friends, I found a friend that I was convinced I would never see again as well as grew closer with my friends in the Des Moines Presbytery.

At age 15, this trip is about growing up. My personal growth is the pride in my faith. Something about being a pastor’s kid drives us to rebellion; we feel like just because people expect us and our faith to be perfect, it is our job to make it just the opposite.

Thankfully, I got through that phase pretty fast. But I was never really good at expressing my faith without fear of disapproval from my peers. Hopefully this week changed that. Seeing 5,000 other people my age, celebrating God with as much enthusiasm as we did, showed me that I am not alone in my faith. I don’t care anymore that I am the only one of my friends outside of my youth group that attends church regularly or is part of a youth group.

I used to think it was impossible to fully love God as a teenager because teenagers don’t know anything. We can’t really see the world or fully appreciate all of God’s creation, good or bad, because we haven’t had the chance to see it all. But in all truth, no one can ever understand everything. Faith is blind trust, and I realize that is just something I have to accept; it’s part of the package.

So thank you to Triennium; the staff, the design team, the actors, all the leaders who brought us there and took care of us, all the youth, my small group, and most of all thanks to God for letting me find my faith on my own time and loving me regardless of my insecurities in Him.
Madeleine King
Windsor Presbyterian Church, Windsor Heights

Triennium was a great experience for me, from learning more about my faith, to making lifelong friends, and seeing old and dear friends from other church camps;o) I would really enjoy going back everytime, for the rest of my life and making more friends and seeing the old ones.
Erica Coulter
Westminster Presbyterian Church, Des Moines

Presbyterian Youth Triennium was in the top 5 experiences that I have had in my life. Seeing over 5,000 youth worship and play as one, was an incredible sight that I may never have again in my life. I thank the Lord and everyone else who made this outstanding event take place.

Paige Klinkenborg
Heartland Presbyterian Church, Clive