Category Archives: Youth Councils

Youth Councils 2017 Recap

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We had an awesome time at Youth Councils 2017, didn’t we?  God taught us so much about our identity; so much that we tried to condense the entire weekend into a single post.  We most definitely failed there, but we hope you enjoy our hand picked assortment of treats from the weekend: videos, pictures, podcasts and survey for YC 2018.  Enjoy!

Identity Videos

Eden Sjogren from MetroProductions on Vimeo.

Shane Olivera from MetroProductions on Vimeo.

Ashley Blackwood from MetroProductions on Vimeo.

Red Carpet Video (From the Hollywood Banquet)

YC Red Carpet from MetroProductions on Vimeo.

We had an awesome Hollywood banquet on Saturday night, and part of that experience included a red carpet where the celebs were interviewed.  Enjoy!

Official Photos (Including Photo Booth Photos from the Hollywood Banquet)!

Thanks to photographers Laura Allan and Cody Forney, we have some AMAZING photos from the weekend.  Check out the slideshow below, or click here to view them on our Flickr page.

High School Track Podcasts

Looking for the sermons from Pastor Harvey Carey and Lt. Amanda Keene?  You can stream them from our website here, or stream them from the podcast app on your iPhone (search Metro Youth Network).

Main Session 1 – Pastor Harvey Carey

Main Session 2 – Pastor Harvey Carey

Main Session 3 – Pastor Harvey Carey

Main Session 5 – Lt. Amanda Keene

Youth Councils 2017 Survey

Last, but not least, we’d love to hear your feedback about YC 17.  Take 10 minutes to fill out this quick survey, please!  We take your input very seriously.  You can access the survey by clicking here.

YC 2016 Tee On Sale Now

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Youth Councils 2016 T-Shirt

As you guys know, we surprised you at Youth Councils with a FREE t-shirt.  Whether you weren’t able to go to YC, or if you’re looking for a dope gift, we are currently selling off the leftovers for only $5.  We’ll be selling them in person at the next Prayer & Praise Night at the Midwest Corps on May 6.  Bring yo money!

The shirt is our illuminate art printed with super soft inks on an extremely soft Bella + Canvas tee.

Youth Councils 2016 Podcasts and Photos!

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It’s hard to believe that Youth Councils 2016 is already over!  We absolutely had a blast worshiping together, praying together, dressing up for the banquet, and talking about illumination.  To follow up from the weekend, we’re sharing the messages from each Main Session in the High School track (sorry Jr. High!), and all the photos we took courtesy of Shelby Thompson, Cody Forney, Katy Judy, and Audrey Hickman.

Podcasts

To listen to the podcasts from the High School Main Sessions, featuring Captain Marion Platt, you can stream them from our website here, or by finding us on the podcast app for iPhone by searching “Metro Youth Network”.

Main Session 1 – Received by Christ (Romans 15:7)

Main Session 2 – Reformed by Christ (2 Corinthians 5:14-17)

Main Session 3 – Rescued by Christ (Colossians 1:9-13)

Main Session 4 – Refined by Christ (Hebrews 10:14-18)

Pictures

To download the official photos from the weekend, click on the links below.  The albums are organized by photographer, and there’s a separate album just from the banquet.

Youth Councils 2016 Banquet
Youth Councils 2016 (by Cody Forney)
Youth Councils 2016 (by Shelby Thompson)
Youth Councils 2016 (by Katy Judy)

2015-2016 Metro Youth Dates To Remember

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Here in the Youth Department we are extremely excited for an exciting year of awesome Divisional and Territorial youth events and experiences. Youth Ministry Trainings, a Young Adult Retreat, Prayer & Praise Nights, Youth Councils, I’ll Fight Day and more are all part of this year’s calendar.

To get the word out, and to get everyone pumped, we’re busy creating a very cool 2015-2016 Metro Youth Dates to Remember poster (coming soon!). With this poster, you will be able to have all of the dates and locations for various events at your fingertips, and will be proud to hang this up at home or school.

There are a variety of ways this information can be easily accessed:

  1. We will be distributing the posters at the first Prayer & Praise Night of the school year (@ Aurora Corps on September 18), and will continue to make them available throughout the year at P&PN’s, Youth Councils and other events.
  2. Get on Facebook and search for “Metro Youth Network.”
  3. Download the one up above.
  4. Lotus Notes: Go to the Divisional Bulletin Board and look under “Divisional Events.”

Here’s what’s going on this year:

September
Sunday 13 – Youth Rally (ages 7-12) – Blue Island Corps
Friday 18 – Prayer & Praise Night – Aurora Corps, 7PM

October
Friday 9 – Prayer & Praise Night – Kroc Center, 7PM
Saturday 17 – Regional Youth Ministry Training – Irving Park Corps
Friday 23-24 – Young Adult Retreat 

November
Friday 6 – Prayer & Praise Night – Templo Laramie, 7PM 

December
Saturday 5 – I’ll Fight Day 

January
Monday 4 – Band of Survivors Applications Available
Friday 15 – Prayer & Praise Night – Mayfair Community Church, 7PM
Saturday 30 – Regional Leadership Training – Norridge Citadel Corps

February
Friday 5 – Prayer & Praise Night – Evanston Corps, 7PM
Tuesday 9-12 – Refuel: A Gathering For Youth Leaders
Friday 12-14 – Regeneration 2016 

March
Friday 4 – Prayer & Praise Night – Belvidere Corps, 7PM 

April
Friday 8-10 – Youth Councils 2016 

May
Friday 6 – Prayer & Praise Night – Midwest Corps, 7PM
Friday 6 – Band of Survivors Applications Due
Friday 20 – Band of Survivors Team Announced

June
Friday 17 – Band of Survivors Leadership Orientation
Saturday 18 – Band of Survivors Team Orientation
Monday 27-Friday, July 22 – Band of Survivors 2016

July
Monday 11-14 – Teen Camp
Friday 22 – BOS Closing Ceremony and Prayer & Praise Night
Saturday 30-Sunday, August 7 – CBLI

August
Thursday 11-21 – CMI

Youth Councils Podcasts and Photos!

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It’s hard to believe that Youth Councils was over two weeks ago! We had a great weekend filled with worship, teaching, prayer and fellowship. We were inspired and challenged by our guests Marko, Daniel Wallace, Trip Lee, Amena Brown and DJ Opdiggy.

One of our goals is to always ensure that YC isn’t just a standalone event. In other words, we don’t want this to start on a Friday and end on a Sunday without you ever thinking about it, or the things you learned, ever again. So, in order to help you stay challenged and to equip to live into the things God spoke to you at YC, we have 4 podcasts from the High School track. In other words, we have each sermon from Marko for you stream or download, and listen back to. We also have some awesome photos from the weekend for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy!


Main Session 1 – Friday Night


Main Session 2 – Saturday Morning


Main Session 3 – Saturday Night


Main Session 4 – Sunday Morning

Youth Councils 2015 Pics

One other thing, if you haven’t told us what you thought of the weekend, we’d love your feedback. Thanks!

Youth Councils 2014 Recap (podcasts, photos and more!)

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Final Draft (Blue Scripture)

It’s hard to believe, but Youth Councils 2014 concluded over a week ago! God did amazing things during our time together. Our theme was “Anchored” based on Hebrews 6:19a: “This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls.” The purpose of this post is to ensure that Youth Councils isn’t a stand alone event. We want to make sure that you’re continuing to live out the things God challenged you to change, grow in, or commit to. We have exactly three tools to help you in this:

1. Sermon Podcasts

Throughout the weekend, we unpacked the hope we have in Christ, and what it means to have him as our anchor. On Friday Night, KB challenged us through his concert about Christ as our hope of salvation. On Saturday morning, Lts. Michael and Kristina Sjogren talked about God’s faithfulness in the everyday from Hebrews 13:8. On Saturday night, KB gave a powerful and clear picture of hope in the context of the new heaven and new earth. Finally, on Sunday morning, Majors Monty and Angie Wandling talked about the hope we have in Christ as our king, especially in the context of Palm Sunday, and what it means to struggle according to Romans 8. We recorded the sermons from Saturday morning, Saturday night, and Sunday morning for you to listen to as much as you want:

Main Session 2 Sermon (Saturday Morning) – Lts. Michael and Kristina Sjogren
Main Session 3 Sermon (Saturday Night) – KB
Main Session 4 Sermon (Sunday Morning) – Majors Monty and Angie Wandling

2. Photos!

We had a number of photographers on hand throughout the weekend to capture the event. Check out the slideshows below, or go directly to our Flickr page. Didn’t get a physical copy of the photos you took at the Youth Councils Party Photo Booth? We have digital copies online for you.

Jonathan Taube’s Photos:

Iuri Sevciuc’s Photos:

Shelby Thompson’s Photos:

Youth Councils Party Photo Booth:

3. Corps Ministry Plans

At the end of Youth Councils, Corps were given copies of the Corps Ministry Plan to be utilized at their discretion. The idea was if Corps wanted to hold a debriefing and unpacking session with their delegates, they could use the Corps Ministry Plan as a tool to do just that. The Corps Ministry Plan is a simple tool that asks 5 questions about what God taught you, how you should apply that to your life, and who should hold you accountable. If you didn’t get a chance to go through this, or if you’re a Corps Officer or Youth Leader who can’t find their hard copies, you can download it here.

Get details on the Youth Councils 2014 T-Shirt and fundraiser

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Youth Councils T-Shirt Promo (gray)

For a few years now at Youth Councils, instead of giving a shirt away for free, we’ve been selling them and giving the money away to a Salvation Army ministry that we want to celebrate and ensure that their ministry keeps on keepin on. This year will be no different, but, at the same time, will be VERY different. Let me explain.

We’re going to raise money for the Army’s Havendale Compound in Kingston, Jamaica. There is so much going on at this place, and their ministry is vital. Here are just a few of the things on this compound: 1 Corps, 1 orphanage (called The Nest), 1 school for the blind and visually impaired (which operates as a boarding school and day school), 1 home for retired officers and other older adults, 1 College for Officer Training. Yeah. Like I said, it’s A LOT. We want to celebrate all of the things God is doing there. Shirts will be on sale throughout Youth Councils for $5, and 100% of the proceeds will be going to the Havendale compound.

Here’s how it’s going to be very different. For the very first time, Youth Councils 2014 will be hosting a team from the partner country (Jamaica in this case). In other words, you’ll be able to meet the people you’re partnering with in buying a shirt. You’ll get to hang out with them, get to know their story, and encourage one another face to face. HOW COOL IS THAT?

The shirt itself comes to us courtesy of the good folks at WARdrobe. The “Doodling the Most Good” tee comes from UK artist Olly Gibbs. He takes his “doodling” seriously and has created a seriously awesome shirt. Using his highly detailed doodles to comprise The Salvation Army Red Shield, the art is a constant reminder that we are we all small parts of the bigger picture. Printed with waterbase inks on a pre-shrunk super soft 100% ring-spun cotton, Black Anvil 980.

KB’s New EP “100” and Devo Series

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One of our Youth Councils 2014 guests, KB, is about to release a new EP in just a matter of days. The title of the EP is “100”, and focuses around the idea of what it means to give the Lord 100% in all you do, and why it’s important that we do so. The EP doesn’t drop until 3.4.14, but you can experience the project now in a few different and unique ways:

1. Check out the behind the scenes video

In this short, KB explains the rationale behind his concept and theme of 100.  Check it out, and get an exclusive look at the making of the EP.

2. Watch the music video for 100!

This video was just released today! Be among the first to catch it (9.5k already have):

3. Go through KB’s Devo on YouVersion!

That’s right. KB has written a devotional series on the best Bible app around – YouVersion – that collaborates specifically with the EP. The theme that the EP is centered around will be broken down in a 20 day devotional plan that you can read right on your phone or tablet. Get started at YouVersion, now!

Our Youth Councils Guest Was On THE VOICE!

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Did you know one of our Youth Councils guests, Aaron Gillespie (aaronrgillespie), was on The Voice last night? True story. In addition to being a great worship leader, Aaron is an insane drummer (formerly of Underoath), and has been filling in for Paramore lately. Still don’t believe me? Here’s the proof. Christina Aguilera seems to dig it.