YTC - Retreat, the afterglow

I just returned form a weekend with a bunch (61) of like minded friends. Youth Team Conference is a gathering of people from Unity churches around the NW region who work in their church's youth programs. It is an event filled with music and dancing and celebration, as well as comparing notes, providing insight and examples and offering suggestions.
I work with high school aged people, the Youth of Unity (YOU), so my focus meetings were with other "Sponsors" of that age group. Each year there is someone new, and their perspective and quetions help all of us rise to a higher level and look at what we do from a new perspective.
The issues are usually how to add members, dealing with teen problems, fundraising, churh family integration and getting board support and recognition.
At other times during the weekend we met with small groups based on a interest item we were asked to respond to during an opening process. I ended up in the "Effective Communication" group, with 5 others who are also trainers or teachers. We are all YOU sponsors, so had a common bond to build on. We discussed the curricula we were provided and discovered our reacctions to light an ddark. Quite frankly, the idea of being in a cavern with the lights out for any lenghth of time, which was one of the images we were given to discuss, doesn't appeal. Even with a very cogent descrition by a group mate of her perspective of the dark as a warm protective hug.
I did have some wonderful recollections though, of building forts and tunnels out of hay bales in the barn when we were kids. We spent happy hours in the dark, talking and plotting other adventures. My parents would likely have come up with some creative punishment if they'd known, but that's probably one of the reasons it was so fun.
Some of the best parts of the weekend are meal times and free time, when we can get to know people from other churches and other age group programs, and generally network and bond.
There was a very interesting, non church appropriate discussion at lunch about experiences with drugs taken in years gone by, as well as a discussion of antics of parents who drank too much and did totally bizarre things in the name of child care.
I have to shout out our musician, Mark Stanton Welch, who is not only a talented musician, but is a true spiritual leader. He privides a wonderful backdrop to the regional team and his own workshops are stimulating and fun (and exausting, but worth the effort of dancing prayers in community).
All in all, it was a great weekend. Every year they ask for comments, you know "what can we do better", and every year I ask that the conference be extended an extra day. No luck so far, but there's always hope. :-)