Refreshing Youth Leaders in the East

On January 23-24, 2026 our youth leaders at Ottawa Adventist Church, and youth leaders in Eastern Ontario and East Central regions, had the opportunity of attending the Refresh Regional Youth Leadership Summit, held at the Kingston Seventh-day Adventist Church. It was a weekend filled with meaningful fellowship, powerful worship, and impactful workshops designed to strengthen leaders for ministry.

As a team, we left this Summit truly feeling refreshed and spiritually renewed, ready to apply the skills and strategies we learned in our interactions with youth and in the programs we lead. Through the various workshops, we gained a deeper understanding of how to use the resources available within our local community to better support the youth we serve. We were also challenged to think more intentionally about how we plan, communicate, and create safe spaces where young people can thrive.

The interactive nature of the workshops allowed our leaders to fully participate as we engaged in thoughtful discussions and shared real-life experiences from youth ministry. Through these conversations, we felt stronger as a team as we collaborated together and reflected on our shared goals for this ministry. 

We were reminded of the importance of youth mentorship, active listening, and leading with clarity and purpose. We were encouraged to lead not only with creativity and excellence, but with compassion and authenticity. This summit not only empowered us spiritually, but also strengthened our leadership capacity and unity as a team.

Our prayer is that the youth of Ottawa Adventist Church, as well as the other churches represented at the Summit, will continue to find a spiritually grounded space where they can grow in faith, feel truly supported, discover their God-given gifts, and build long lasting relationships that anchor them in Christ and community.