Week of Prayer & Global Youth Day 2019
Pastor Daniel Innocent praying during the launch of Youth Week of Prayer in Eastern Ontario.
On Sabbath, March 9, 2019, Youth Week of Prayer/Youth Week in Spiritual Emphasis launched. From churches to regions, youth came together for inspiring worship services where either pastors or young people shared powerful messages based on the needs of those who came to hear them.
Several of the 11 regions pooled their resources to host a combined effort: Eastern Ontario, Metro East, Metro North Central, Metro South Central, Metro West Central, Metro West, and youth in the Hamilton area churches joined forces as well.
It is a powerful thing when young people take time out of their March break to spend time with God in prayer, praise, and worship and hear the voice of God through speakers of their own peers. The lives of the youth are changed, and the churches around Ontario experience a transformation when they see the youth of today helping to change the lives of those around them because of the change that God is working in them.
Group brainstorm during Youth Week of Prayer launch service.
What usually closes out youth week are the same youth whose energies are marshalled to leave the four walls and to take church into the local communities. On Saturday, March 16, 2019, on the streets of Ontario, these youth were found visiting fire and police stations, assisting the elderly in nursing homes, cleaning up their neighbourhoods, hosting a barbecue for the homeless, handing out gift packages to total strangers, and doing random acts of kindness to people who least expected it.
“Close to 60 youth and young adults came out to participate in this auspicious event," says Jason Romans, new president for the East Central RYA. He says, “Despite the coldness of the day, the energy and the vibrancy of the youth could not be diminished. They went out into the community with joy and confidence, with a willingness to serve that truly depicts God’s love.”
On Global Youth Day, the youth of Ontario truly exemplified the mantra of this revolution: “Be the Sermon." The next Youth Week & Global Youth Day will be March 14-21, 2020.