Due to COVID, this was the first in-person CLAY Gathering (Canadian Lutheran Anglican Youth Gathering) since 2018. For nearly every youth that attended, this was their first CLAY (me included). For some of us, this was also our last CLAY that we can participate in as youth.
Although I will no longer be able to enjoy CLAY as a youth, there are ways I can participate by either volunteering or as a leader in training, and I look forward to doing so at the next CLAY.
The first time I heard about CLAY was when the youth of my church participated in CLAY 2016 on Prince Edward Island, where the theme was Not For Sale. Since then, I have been intrigued by CLAY and have been excited to participate. This year, CLAY was held in Waterloo, ON, at Wilfrid Laurier University, and the theme was Ashes and Embers.
My favourite part of CLAY was the Large Group Gatherings (LGG), where everyone participating in CLAY joined together to worship. I enjoyed the keynote speakers and the CLAY band.
Along with the LGGs, CLAY organized smaller group gatherings where we chose a presentation that we were interested in. I enjoyed learning to juggle as a smaller group activity. During CLAY, there were many activities to choose from and participate in. Everyone I spoke to enjoyed themselves. I had fun meeting youth from all over Canada.
I cannot wait to see where the next CLAY will be, to hear the new stories, and see familiar faces. This was a memorable time for me, and I know that I will think about my time at CLAY for many years.
Thank you to all those who made CLAY possible this year!
Reflections from my CLAY Home Team:
“Something I really enjoyed about CLAY was the large group gatherings and the really inspiring workshops that we got to do on the second day.”
“I enjoy CLAY because I get to meet a lot of new people.”
“…The concert, meeting new people, playing football, the workshops, all these things were a lot of fun for me.”
“I really appreciated all the music…watching everyone dance along or clap along was my favorite part.”
“I really enjoyed the concerts and staying up late!”
“I enjoyed hanging out with new friends.”
“What I enjoyed about CLAY was just the chance to gather with hundreds of youths from across the country, excited to worship together, excited to learn together… and see the friendships that grow.”
“I really enjoyed all the time we got to spend together, worshipping and playing games and just hanging out.”—Darya Saèd
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