The 2008 Episcopal Youth Event

THEME
Sown in the Heart of Christ

“Listen! A sower sent out to sow… for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields” (Matthew 13:3,23)  The E.Y.E. 2008 Design Team discerned this theme from the Eucharistic lessons appointed for Sunday, July 13, 2008 (Year A, Proper 10). Sown in the Heart of Christ will provide rich soil for worship, education, recreation, and service. It will be an event that plants promise and hope in the hearts of all participants and bears witness to the world that The Episcopal Church is yielding abundant fruit. E.Y.E. will welcome informed theological conversation, honor our Anglican heritage, and celebrate our common ground in Christ. E.Y.E. will be rooted in the Baptismal Covenant (our understanding of the heart of Christ) in order to reaffirm, deepen, and develop the ministries of all participants. E.Y.E. is designed to inspire and equip participants for Christian discipleship. Are YOU ready and willing to fall on good soil?

WHEN
2:00 p.m., July 8 – 1:00 p.m., July 13, 2008. All participants must be resident for the entire conference.

WHERE
E.Y.E. will be held on the campus of Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas. Each group is responsible for its own travel arrangements.

WHO
Young people who have completed grades 9, 10, 11, or 12 by Spring 2008 and have not already attended college (persons not in school but who are within the age range of high school students should contact the Youth Ministries Office). All young people must attend E.Y.E. with an adult diocesan sponsor. The ratio of young people to adults for diocesan groups is the following:

3 - 10 youth = 2 adult sponsors
11 - 15 youth = 3 adult sponsors;
16 - 20 youth = 3 or 4 adult sponsors;
21 - 25 youth = 4 or 5 adult sponsors;
26 - 30 youth = 5 or 6 adult sponsors.

Dioceses planning to register fewer than 3 youth should contact the Youth Ministries Office. In all cases, the majority of diocesan delegations should be youth. Dioceses that bring male and female participants must bring male and female adult sponsors. E.Y.E. is a closed event. Only registered individuals may attend and participate in E.Y.E. Each diocese is initially allocated 15 slots — 12 young people and 3 adult sponsors. After the first round of registration, dioceses that have recruited a balanced and diverse group of young people and adults to attend the event will be able to register additional participants according to the same guidelines, as long as space allows (see “Registration Guidelines”).

COST
The cost of E.Y.E is $480.00 per person, excluding travel. Included in this fee are room and board, program costs, ground transportation, and the event T-shirt. These fees cover only a portion of the total cost of E.Y.E. The cost for each participant is subsidized through the budget of the Youth Ministries Office.

SCHOLARSHIP ASSISTANCE
All participants needing financial assistance to attend E.Y.E. are expected to explore their personal, congregational, diocesan, as well as other resources. Limited funds are available through provincial youth ministries networks (visit www.episcopalchurch.org/youth) for those who have exhausted local resources. Contact your provincial youth ministry coordinator for more information.

HOUSING
E.Y.E. housing will be in the dorms at Trinity University. Participants will receive their housing arrangements upon arrival; rooms will be double occupancy with every two sleeping rooms sharing bathroom facilities. A one-time linen and towel drop is provided. Note: All housing facilities are air-conditioned; a light blanket may be necessary. The dorms will be opened for E.Y.E. participants on Tuesday, July 8 at 2:00pm, and will close when the conference ends at 1:00pm on Sunday, July 13. Participants will not be able to stay in campus housing before or after those dates and times.

TRAVEL
By Air:
Ground transportation will be provided to and from San Antonio International Airport on the opening and closing days of the event. Note: The airport is approximately a 20-minute drive from the campus.

July 8 – Plan to arrive in San Antonio no later than 5:00 p.m., and preferably closer to 1:00 p.m. Late arrivals will be met but may miss the opening program.

July 13 – Depart at 2:00 p.m. or later. This allows for participation in the closing program, driving time and 1.5 hours for check-in and security procedures. Note: We recognize that it may be impossible to depart for all destinations after 2:00 p.m., and E.Y.E. will provide earlier ground transportation if needed.

By Car/Van/Bus:
If you are driving, registration opens at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, July 8. Welcome activities and tours are planned for that afternoon. Plan to leave after 12 noon on Sunday, July 13. Parking passes will be issued at registration. On July 8, dinner will be served from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. and the opening program will begin at 7:30 p.m.

REGISTRATION
All participants (youth and adult sponsors) must register for E.Y.E. All registration is to be handled through the diocesan registrar. Due to space limitations and the design of the event, we are unable to accommodate unregistered family members. Online submission of diocesan registrations is due by May 2, 2008. Additional spaces will be allocated after that date depending on availability.

REGISTRATION GUIDELINES
When we gather in San Antonio as an Episcopal Church in July, we hope to demonstrate a foretaste of God’s Kingdom - God’s beloved community. To celebrate the rich diversity of the Episcopal Church, each diocesan delegation should include proportionate numbers of persons of different racial, ethnic, cultural, and socio-economic backgrounds, people with disabilities, and people representing the geographic and theological breadth of the diocese.

The Episcopal Youth Event is sponsored by the Youth Ministries Office, part of the Evangelism and Congregational Life Center at the Episcopal Church Center, New York, NY. Contact your diocesan youth ministry coordinator, design team representative, provincial youth ministries coordinator, or the Youth Ministries Office for more information.