Who are the Visioning Committee?
By Alice Matisz
Many in our community are familiar with “Search” retreats which are offered to students in Grades 9-12 twice or three times per year. Fewer know that it takes more than fifty volunteers to make each Search happen. And still fewer know that the coordination and leadership behind it all is provided by a small dedicated group that call themselves the Visioning Committee. Although Search retreats have been around for decades, the Visioning Committee, in its present form, is relatively recent.
Kevin Orr says it was reconstituted about 7 years ago following the dispersal of critical leaders. The new team redoubled efforts to not only host Search retreats, but to focus the follow-up “Arise” meetings on Catholic teaching. Since the retreats are infrequent, the Committee knew it was critical to create a faith-sharing venue for young people who had completed a Search and were yearning for more fellowship. In the early days, Orr says, he and the small team were very ‘hands-on’ with Arise, often planning and delivering all the content themselves. Over the past years though, active recruitment of youth leaders has allowed them to step away from the frontlines. The hiring of full time youth ministry coordinators in the deanery also helped.
Search is a deanery-wide program. Youth from all over Southern Alberta are welcome to attend and they do; some hailing from as far away as Claresholm and Medicine Hat. However, two years ago the program was affiliated with All Saints Parish in order to facilitate volunteer screening and similar diocesan requirements. The Visioning Committee welcomes this contact with parish priests although Laura Elliott is quick to recognise the long standing spiritual direction provided by Deacon Ray Wagner and his wife Ellen. Also on the committee now is Fr. Roque Pereira, chaplain/liaison at the University and College. The committee is rounded out by Makenzie Kinahan, Carissa Elliott and Sarah DeCoste. Both Laura Elliott and Kevin Orr mentioned other contributors too numerous to list, whose collective efforts have made the Search what it is today.
“Our focus is on youth leading youth,” Elliott says. “I think they find service incredibly exciting,” she adds; “they’re so excited to be completely selfless.” This invigorating effect is seen not only among young leaders and the young folks backing them up, but also in the Searchers themselves. “I’ve seen the amazing change it makes to kids’ lives,” Elliott says, “and a child who gets in touch with Jesus goes on to evangelize the family. It’s the youth who are bringing our families back.” Elliott and Orr admit that sometimes the work involved in putting on a retreat feels like having a second job, especially just prior to a Search weekend, but neither complain. “I just feel called to do whatever I can,” Orr says. “We are the hands and feet of Jesus,” Elliott says, “I’m honoured he’s chosen me.”
Recently the Committee decided to put on a new retreat called Refresh. It was designed to minister to young leaders, predominantly in high school and post-secondary. Elliott says they need this retreat because they are surrounded by negative influences at work or at the university and college. With this additional retreat, the Committee is actively seeking one or two more planners who have strong faith and a demonstrated commitment to youth ministry. With the help of the Holy Spirit we can ensure that future generations will always have a Search or Refresh retreat available to fire up their faith.
Kevin Orr says it was reconstituted about 7 years ago following the dispersal of critical leaders. The new team redoubled efforts to not only host Search retreats, but to focus the follow-up “Arise” meetings on Catholic teaching. Since the retreats are infrequent, the Committee knew it was critical to create a faith-sharing venue for young people who had completed a Search and were yearning for more fellowship. In the early days, Orr says, he and the small team were very ‘hands-on’ with Arise, often planning and delivering all the content themselves. Over the past years though, active recruitment of youth leaders has allowed them to step away from the frontlines. The hiring of full time youth ministry coordinators in the deanery also helped.
Search is a deanery-wide program. Youth from all over Southern Alberta are welcome to attend and they do; some hailing from as far away as Claresholm and Medicine Hat. However, two years ago the program was affiliated with All Saints Parish in order to facilitate volunteer screening and similar diocesan requirements. The Visioning Committee welcomes this contact with parish priests although Laura Elliott is quick to recognise the long standing spiritual direction provided by Deacon Ray Wagner and his wife Ellen. Also on the committee now is Fr. Roque Pereira, chaplain/liaison at the University and College. The committee is rounded out by Makenzie Kinahan, Carissa Elliott and Sarah DeCoste. Both Laura Elliott and Kevin Orr mentioned other contributors too numerous to list, whose collective efforts have made the Search what it is today.
“Our focus is on youth leading youth,” Elliott says. “I think they find service incredibly exciting,” she adds; “they’re so excited to be completely selfless.” This invigorating effect is seen not only among young leaders and the young folks backing them up, but also in the Searchers themselves. “I’ve seen the amazing change it makes to kids’ lives,” Elliott says, “and a child who gets in touch with Jesus goes on to evangelize the family. It’s the youth who are bringing our families back.” Elliott and Orr admit that sometimes the work involved in putting on a retreat feels like having a second job, especially just prior to a Search weekend, but neither complain. “I just feel called to do whatever I can,” Orr says. “We are the hands and feet of Jesus,” Elliott says, “I’m honoured he’s chosen me.”
Recently the Committee decided to put on a new retreat called Refresh. It was designed to minister to young leaders, predominantly in high school and post-secondary. Elliott says they need this retreat because they are surrounded by negative influences at work or at the university and college. With this additional retreat, the Committee is actively seeking one or two more planners who have strong faith and a demonstrated commitment to youth ministry. With the help of the Holy Spirit we can ensure that future generations will always have a Search or Refresh retreat available to fire up their faith.
Photo from the Refresh weekend in Waterton.