On a hot and sunny day in June, youth and young adults from several different churches gathered in the shady side yard of the Community of Hope Center in Fairfield, NJ. Their purpose? To play together, eat together, and grow as disciples. This annual event, co-led by adult and young adult leaders, was created to bring young people together to deepen their faith.
Friends—old and new—gathered around the table to break bread together while the young adult praise band warmed up.
The day officially began with worship. The young adult praise band led the group in praise and worship. The lyrics of one song would set the tone for the day. The group sang together:
“On my best day, I’m a child of God.
On my worst day, I’m a child of God.
I’m so blessed.”
Rev. Roeline Ramirez welcomed everyone to the event. District Superintendent Rev. William Williams brought greetings on behalf of Bishop Cynthia Moore-Koikoi. He recalled our Wesleyan heritage, reminding those gathered that John Wesley—and the people who followed him—were once mocked for being outside the norm. He said, “If you feel that you are outside the norm, then welcome to this space.”
The day-long event was organized around four principles designed to help youth and young adults grow in their faith:
- L – Listening to the Voice of God
- O – Overflowing God’s Love
- U – Unashamed Witness
- D – Devoted to Grow Together
Rev. Ramirez led students in a session where they learned to more deeply listen for the voice of God in scripture. The session began with a game in which two teams competed to see who knew the books of the Bible best. Each team had to jump to the left if they thought the book came from the Old Testament, or to the right if they believed it came from the New Testament. Participants of all ages lined up to play. Ultimately, the Titas (Aunties) won the game.
After celebrating their win, one shared: “Read the Word—every day—even just a phrase. That’s the way the Word comes alive.”
Following the game, students went deeper. They divided into two new groups and took on the challenge of creating five-word summaries of different books of the Bible. Adults and youth gathered around scripture and carefully considered how to summarize each book to its essential core.
After Rev. Ramirez’s session on scripture, young adults Teri and Danielle led a session focused on 1 Corinthians 6:19–20:
“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God, and that you are not your own?
For you were bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body.”
Teri and Danielle invited the group to overflow with God’s love by rooting themselves in godly self-care.
“Take time to reflect on God’s Word—what He has to say to you personally. Make sure you are taking care of yourself—body, mind, and spirit,” Teri shared.
Danielle developed the point further. Overflowing with God’s love, she said, begins with self-love. “Self-love is based not on how we see ourselves, but on how God sees us.”
Some youth came for the fun, others came to support their friends who were leading that day. Still others came hoping to grow. Adrian, a young adult, shared, “I’m hoping to listen to what God has to say today, reflect on that, and keep my faith strong throughout the tough times I’ve been going through.”
Youth and young adults left the gathering not just with deeper friendships, but with a renewed sense of purpose. Through a day filled with laughter, learning and worshiping together, they experienced what it means to live out their faith in community—to listen for God’s voice, to love boldly, to witness unashamedly, and to grow side by side. The event was more than just a day of fun—it was a step forward in their journey as disciples, united in hope and grounded in God’s love.