On 16 –18 September over 200 people travelled to Cornwall and enjoyed the third event of 6:T – MAYC 60th Birthday year. Groups travelled from right across the country with one group flying in from Middlesbrough. This group came to 6:T Intense and loved it so much that they booked for the next event!

The event began on Friday evening gathering in Launceston at the Methodist Church for games, conversation, worship, music and of course, cornish pasties! 
The young people received excellent hospitality through operation friendship, sleeping on church all floors across the district and then on Saturday they all gathered at the Truro Methodist School for a day that opened in worship with John Procktor’s band and continued with Insight groups on team works, drama and music. These groups helped young people prepare for worship for Sunday morning.

In the afternoon there were a huge selection of workshops including drama, windsurfing, football, banners, drumming, Djing and much more. Young Workers were treated with workshops led by Jenny Baker on Embracing Creativity and Creative Prayer and Worship. Many commented how good it was to get new ideas to take back to their own churches. The afternoon drew to a close with an ‘Open Mic’ time providing entertainment and humour as people shared their talents and activities from the afternoon.

The evening was a new venture for MAYC with a gig in Truro Cathedral. Working in partnership with the Anglican Church and with the support of Jacquie Price, the Diocesan Youth Officer, MAYC had the Cathedral rocking to the sounds, of the DJ, the local band, ‘Narrowpath’ and the well-known band, ‘Supervision’. Local young people came from the evening and we had 400 for this part of the weekend. To conclude the evening, the Anglican Youth Synod led the crowd in some prayer stations encouraging them to pray for a whole range of different issues.

On Sunday the journey continued and we all moved on to Newquay.  The weather was good and by 9.30am everyone was on the beach to build their impressions of the ideal church in sand, join in some energetic aerobics led by members of the youth exec and some fun games then walked in witness to Newquay Wesley Methodist church led by the drumming group ‘Speaking in Drums’ We shared worship with the local congregation and every seat was taken.

The worship was led by Steve Emery-Wright, the Cornwall District Youth Enabler in the role of local Coordinator for 6:T Inspire. We heard testimonies from young people challenging us to move on with God in our journey. The morning was a celebration and everyone left inspired and challenged to press on further with their journey. One young person said ‘ this weekend has really challenged me to move on in my faith’.

And so with packed lunches in hand everyone set off for the journey home and on to the next part of their journey into the future. The feedback from the weekend demonstrates just how much the young people enjoyed the event and as some left they said -  “You will take us to Breakout in Blackpool (July 2006) won't you.”

A member of the planning group, Diane Moore from Newton Abbot felt the weekend had been significant for the area.’ By having an event like this down this end of the country, means that firstly, you have made more people aware of MAYC and what goes on elsewhere in the country with MAYC, but also secondly, and more importantly, perhaps given people something to think about as far as Youth work is concerned both in Cornwall and in Devon and how to get God involved in young peoples lives.’

MAYC has been privileged to have David Goodall working part time as the 6:T Coordinator. In his final report David says, ‘In the statement of purpose for 6:T we said, “6:T celebrates the 60th anniversary of MAYC. As we celebrate we will be challenged to invest, be intense, inspire and be inspired by looking at where we have come from, who we are now and where we are going.” As we have journeyed through 2005, both through the events and the changes within the Connexional team there is no doubt that we have had to consider what MAYC has been, is and will be in the future. The three main events have been a success and we hope that many of the ideas created and lessons leant can continue to help MAYC support youth work in the Methodist church in the future.’

Other celebrations have gone on across the country and MAYC still has copies of our special edition of ‘Share’, which celebrates aptly the past, present and future. For copies of this, please contact the MAYC office. form.

Check out photos from the weekend....