From Boston to Billings, nearly 1,500 UCC youth, staff, advisors and volunteers convened this summer at six regional youth events geared toward exploring faith formation and expanding leadership horizons.

Presented for the first time in several years, the New England Regional Youth Event –  titled "Inside Out, Outside In: Finding Our Way in God's World" – drew an enthusiastic gathering of about 250 youth and adults to Boston University June 24-27.

"I was amazed at how deep the kids got into what we were doing," said Kelly Thibeault, a member of the event planning team and associate minister of the Rhode Island Conference. "There was a wide variety of worship; some real reflective, some real praise-oriented. The kids enjoyed having those different experiences."

Youth and youth leaders joined conference staff on the planning team to organize worship, volunteer activities and community service, said Thibeault. One of the more moving moments for Thibeault followed a screening of the immigration-themed movie "Aliens Among Us."

"It was amazing to watch groups of youth and adults gather out on the lawn afterward. You could tell they were really in deep conversation about what they had seen."

Stifling summer heat was no match for youthful spirit. The group took a trolley tour of historical Boston and staged its own downtown parade, splashing a rainbow of color along Commonwealth Avenue, with motorists honking horns and pedestrians stopping to engage the group.

 "The event involved a lot of getting out into the community," said Thibeault. "It wasn't about kids holing up in a building for four days."

For Andrea Proctor, an 18-year-old from Providence, R.I., it was all about making connections, enjoying the music and experiencing variety in worship. "Each state had a worship service, and each was unique," said Proctor, who attended National Youth Event in Knoxville, Tenn., two years ago. "Each chose a different preacher, and it was nice to have the differentiation."

Proctor, who plans to major in art and psychology at Knox College in Galesburg, Ill., beginning this fall, praised event planners for offering many choices while providing free time to explore. "At times it was just nice to walk around and see what there is."

The Rev. Stephen Sterner, executive minister of UCC Local Church Ministries, helped kick off the Mid-Atlantic Region Youth Event July 21-25 at Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove, Pa. Recounting the role that vacation bible school played in the earliest years of his own spiritual formation, Sterner drew popular response by using songs such as "I Am a Christian" and "Jacob's Ladder," which subsequent worship leaders used throughout the event.

Mid-Atlatinc Regional Youth Event

"There was a strong emphasis on formation and spiritual grounding," said Sterner of the event attended by 300 youth and adults. "Both of those were connected to justice work. I had several conversations with youth interested in pursuing a career in church work. These were very exciting and hopeful conversations."

Workshops included a session by writer Josh Tinley, who spoke on using sports as a lens through which to look at the Christian faith. Others ranged from a look at UCC history to dance to balladeer/storyteller Jerry Leggett, a keynote speaker from Hawaii known as the "Peace Bubble Guy." He has traveled nearly 100,000 miles on his two-year, 240-stop mission on his mobile, multimedia entertainment venue, asking "What does peace look like to you?"

More than 150 youths were moved to "Reach Beyond the Big Sky" at the Western Regional Youth Event July 6-10 at Montana State University in Billings, Mont. "It had all the things that make the church whole," said Ann Hanson, UCC minister for sexuality education and justice. "The youth are developing a whole new way of church, and we better pay attention."

Divided into five groups, each took responsibility for a facet of worship – and provided literal interpretation of Isaiah 40:31 ("the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as EAGLES … and not be weary). "Five of the smaller guys represented the eagles, and groups of six or seven lifted them up, like eagles," said Hanson. "Even youth grow tired and they are lifted on eagle's wings.

Musicians, drummers, artists, actors and storytellers added a local flair to workshops. Guests included Amy Roloff, the 4-foot co-star of TLC network's "Big World, Little People," which examines the lives of the Roloffs as they face the pressure of being dwarfs in an average-sized world.

Other Regional Youth Events this summer were: the Great Lakes Regional, where "Challenges, Choices, Consequences" was held June 17-20 at Defiance (Ohio) College; the Southern Regional, at Dillard University in New Orleans June 10-13, titled "Another Brick in the Wall: Tearing Down Inequality, Building Up Hope;" and the West Central Regional, "Agape: God's Love for Us All," which took place July 14-18 at Park University in Parkville, Mo.