A popular conference for teenagers will be making its return soon. Youth Orbit is for students between grades eight and 12 at Mennonite Collegiate Institute on Nov. 1 and 2, 2024.
Youth Orbit Coordinator, Megan Hildebrand says the mission is, "A physical response of God pouring into this event and it's our hope for kiddos to come to the event and kind of break down their hearts to see the vibrant Christian community, especially in southern Manitoba, just a real revival coming to young kids across our province. And our chances to provide a safe space."
Hildebrand says she hopes that the conference is more than a fun place to go. "Fun space without any stigma to come and really dig into that. What that looks like for them with people that are there to pass on their passion for the Lord, and we've really carved out a really good plan to make that happen. It's not flashy, it's just a stripped-down version of what the Lord has in store for the event, and I think that's why kids love it."
The conference starts on Friday, Nov. 1 where kids have the option to stay in the dorms on the MCI campus.
Hildebrand says that while some kids come on their own, others come as a youth group. The conference also includes games and a time of worship with Jenny Franz. "She's kind of become a local hero for us," Hildebrand said. "Everybody is together and we have a group session with a speaker. This year is Jordan Bochinski, his name is parallel with the Collide Conference. We have a big event, high energy and then we kick off into some really quite silly over-the-top, we call them Mod Olympics. Then we wind down and there's coffee bar and a nacho bar."
The fun continues the next morning with another large group session, but Hildebrand says it's much more focused on prayer. "There are small groups in the afternoon and then food and games in there. The evening kicks off with another large group session. So it's jam-packed, but it kind of works for all personalities."
The theme this year is Revive: Restoring and Renewing Faith, which touches Hildebrand personally. "Me and my partner in crime from the school, Jamie Faulk felt we had this really great structure of the prettiness of the event. We were praying for revival for these kids specifically that their faith wouldn't just be what they've heard or what they have been told that they need, but that they could really hear the Lord speak to them. That the Bible would feel alive and vibrant to them through the people we bring in. So very perfectly, just felt like the perfect team for this year."
Registration for Youth Orbit can be done here.