Over the four-day gathering, the young people considered that good ‘soil’ needed to be ‘open’, ‘turned over’, ‘watered’, and made ‘nutritious’. This meant thinking about what a ‘good welcome’ feels like, what assumptions about or by young people need to be challenged, what practices help to maintain faith and spirituality, and what gifts could young people bring to the church.

They also heard from people from a variety of different ministries to understand what a vocation is and what it might mean to be called to one – a powerful reminder of the deep commitments of faith that people make and the equal importance of lay and ordained ministry in supporting the church and its work.

Other discussions centred around themes of engagement, empowerment, community, cultural awareness and discerning vocations, and what the challenges of establishing a Youth Council might look like. Pip reflected: “I was impressed with the constructive way the leadership of the gathering engaged with young people’s views and the way the council was being designed ‘by youth, for youth’. During this discussion, I shared my own dreams of what support for youth leadership could look like in the Church of England, as well as the challenges our programme has faced so far.”

Mealtimes became an opportunity to chat and learn more about other people’s perspectives – some of the Canadians took a great interest in hearing a variety of UK slang and quotes performed in a British accent. Breaktimes and evenings were filled with walks along surrounding trails, playing board, and a night-time visit to Niagara Falls. Throughout the time, strong bonds were created between the young adults, with people connecting over shared interests and their faith. After the gathering had ended, Pip and Sophie were given a short tour across Ontario, learning more about the indigenous people of Canada, meeting with the General Secretary of the Anglican Church of Canada, visiting the Royal Ontario Museum, CN Tower, and the home of baseball team the Blue Jays, as well as trying local delicacies of poutine and beaver tails.