As a Director of Youth Ministry, one of the greatest joys I have been blessed with is the Cascades Presbytery Youth 
Team. This group of pastors and youth leaders gathers five times a year to plan weekend retreats for middle and high school youth, help with summer camps, gather youth groups together for mission trips, as well taking time to fellowship with one another. While the youth here at Westminster have a wonderful church family and are very connected to their youth group and the local community, I believe it is important for them to build relationships with other youth and adults in our Presbytery. As high schoolers, many of them attend a retreat in the Fall and the leadership retreat in the Spring, the Presbytery high school camp, and serve as counselors for the elementary and middle school camps and weeks of service. What an incredible opportunity for them to grow in their faith, surrounded by so many youth and adults who are also excited about their faith and their involvement in the regional Presbytery.
As a member of the Youth Team, I have had the opportunity to plan, organize, and lead the Cascade Presbytery Youth Assembly (CPYA) for the past three years. This weekend retreat is held every fall for all high school youth in the Cascade Presbytery. Each year we have between 130 and 170 youth and adults join to worship, learn, and fellowship together at Macleay Christian Retreat Center outside of Salem. This year I had the honorand challenge, to design worship and small group curriculum for the weekend. It was overwhelming at times, but also a great joy to see how the many hours of planning had such a positive impact on both the youth and adults who participated.