It’s amazing how just over a month ago we were enjoying some summer sun, yet now it feels like autumn has fully embraced us! Over the summer I had the joy of visiting a few summer youth festivals and chatting to some young people about their experiences. It’s clear that the festivals were filled with fun, and through the conversations I was having it was clear that they gave an opportunity for so much more than that too.
One of the festivals I visited was Satellites which is run by Youthscape and is held at the Bath and West showground in Shepton Mallet. I was able to connect with one of the youth groups from our diocese who were there for the week and have a catch up over hot chocolates (it seems the cafes went down very well!). Something that struck me was the personal connection to God and to one another that many of them felt, one sharing, the festival is “just something that I can relate to”. Here are some of their thoughts:
“My favourite part was the climbing wall, but I’ve just been to a seminar with a Jesuit priest and that’s overtaken it”
“I liked the interview with the Archbishop but it could have been a separate thing rather than in the evening meeting”
“It makes you feel part of something. Seeing so many people who struggle with the same things as you but are still Christians is comforting.”
“the structure of the meetings accommodates everyone. It feels very welcoming even if you’ve never been to something like this before”
“more showers would be good!”
“it would be more fun if it wasn’t just seminars and sports but there was something like a colour party”
I was also at was SPREE SW which is a weekend festival run by SWYM and held at Westpoint Showground in Exeter. In one of the venues there was a creative space that invited young people to engage with worship creatively during the meetings. There were some prompts such as ‘Where do you feel closest to God?” and “What brings you the most comfort?” Here are some of their responses.
during sunset & sunrise, outside, dog walks in places with trees, at Christian events
Interview:
Martha, a young person from our diocese attended both of these festivals and she kindly shared her thoughts with me.
What was your favourite part about the festivals you attended?
Living in a rural town makes it difficult to connect with other young people, so the festivals give me a chance to meet with other people
What did you think about the different venues at the festivals?
They are great for meeting altogether, but I often feel they are not compatible with the music equipment. Big open spaces are great for finding a good space to engage
Any good bits or things to improve?
The music is often way too bass-heavy, which makes worship unenjoyable. In many occasions I found the worship was ruined because all I could hear were the drums, so it would be nice if organisers were more aware of how their venues affect the sounds of the instruments
How do festivals like Spree and Satellites help young people like you grow in their faith and live it out?
They can meet other people who hold the same beliefs as them, and can spend the duration of the festival really engaging with teachings and with worship.
It can give young people the opportunity to try new things that may be otherwise inaccessible, such as the rock climbing at Satellites and the art area at Spree, these things may be harder to do outside of festivals .
Is there something specific that you’ve been encouraged to do/change in your everyday life?
I was encouraged to go out and look for a new church for when I move to university, which I had been scared about and so was procrastinating on it
What did you think about the talks and the times of worship?
I love Satellites’ timings, because it was later in the morning which meant it was more enjoyable as I could sleep more. I also really love the talks as they often get really interesting people in to do the talks
Spree’s were also good, although a little early. The venue I was in had talks that were sometimes good and sometimes not so good, but I enjoyed the seminars that happened outside of the venue a lot
Is there anything you would change?
I think the recent inclusion of other forms of worship and sensory areas have been great for making worship more accessible, but I think the attitudes towards it sometimes make it harder for young people to go over there. Furthermore, the musical worship is often so intense that it is difficult for people who need those sensory areas or other worship methods, so I think that it would be good to change the mindset of singing worship as the superior method. Even if venue leaders do not believe in using alternative worship methods, it is not good to discourage young people from doing something they feel is right, or something they need .
What do you think young people value in a youth festival?
I think the differences between youth festivals and ordinary church services is really valued, and that this is what makes them so popular. They are very fun to interact with, and often have interesting things like guest speakers or minigames which keep each session interesting. Activities outside of main sessions also make the festivals really fun.
Have a listen to what Madeline, Josh, Judah and Maddie had to say while they were at Satellites.