Test your vocabulary on the following words: belay, carabiner, raccoon circle, and energizer. If you were at this year’s Fall Youth Event, these are just a few new words you might have added to your vocabulary.

The Ohio Conference-sponsored event is held annually at Pilgrim Hills Camp and Conference Center for senior high youth. About 340 young people attended the November 15-17 event.

Chosen by the youth planners, the theme this year was Connecting with the Spirit: God is Your Belay. Mountain and rock climbers know that a belay is the rope that connects you to another person or to a grounding point. Connecting to God, they decided, is also being connected to other people and to your own center.

As their music wove its way through the weekend, there were countless opportunities for each participant to deepen his or her relationship with God through prayer times, worship, small groups, new and old friends, fun, and conversations.

Chris Reynolds—musician, teacher, and person of faith—also led the group in a time of singing and reflection.

The Saturday evening talent show highlighted the gifts and frivolity of the youth, and the dance that evening was another popular event.

New this year was a trained staff of youth who provided leadership throughout the event. They were responsible for leading the small groups and for leading the entire group in grace, announcements, recreation, worship, energizers, and raccoon circles.

Ken Weidinger, of Christ Church, Ft. Thomas, Kentucky, equipped the youth for these tasks by meeting with them on two full Sundays, teaching them the skills for leadership and calling forth their own gifts and talents. The youth leadership staff did a super job!

And just so you know: a carabiner is the metal loop the rope is often hooked to, raccoon circles are created for adventure and games by looping a 15 foot section of belay into a circle, and energizers are dances, games, and music used to gather a group or enliven people whenever energy is low.