Is your diocese interested in hosting the next Episcopal Youth Event? The next EYE will be held the summer of 2014, hopefully in July. The date will be determined once a location has been selected. A comprehensive report on EYE 2011 can be found here.

Minnesota set the bar pretty high for local support, and we are hopeful that dioceses will rise to this level of local support for future events. Bronwyn Clark Skov, Youth Ministries officer, will be making site visits this fall to engage discernment on where to go next for EYE. If you are interested in preparing for a site visit, please consider the Core Values and Criteria listed here, and submit a letter of invitation as requested by November 21, 2012.

Hosting an Episcopal Youth Event

Diocesan Application Process
The Office for Episcopal Youth Ministries invites the dioceses of the Episcopal Church to consider the following core values and criteria for hosting EYE 2014. The best time for the event for US high-school schedules is the week following Independence Day; preferably the Wednesday through Sunday following July 4. Ideally, we are targeting July 9-13, 2014, however, the date will be contingent upon facility availability. If your diocesan youth ministry network, with the support of the local diocesan bishop, can embrace the values and can identify a facility that meets minimum criteria, we would love to hear from you to schedule a site visit. Please submit a letter of invitation to Bronwyn Clark Skov via e-mail atBronwyn Clark Skov no later than November 21.

Episcopal Youth Event Core Values

• Focusing on Jesus Christ and his presence in our lives, EYE will provide an opportunity and create an environment where our young people and the adults who accompany them can continue to grow on their journey in faith.
• Striving to be an uniquely Episcopal community, and acknowledging that each person is a child of God and that we are called together into a full relationship with God and God’s Creation, we claim that we are a sacramental people of common prayer with diverse understandings and cultural contexts, all of whom work together as the Body of Christ.
• Celebrating our mission and our ministry as the Body of Christ in community, we will offer training for young people and adults and equip them to be faithful servant leaders in their local and diocesan communities.
• Embracing the “Anglican Marks of Mission” as our charge, we will strive to engage the passion and energy of faithful youth, to embrace their call to ministry and to empower them to put their faith into action.

Minimum Criteria for Hosting EYE
When considering a bid from an institution, we will need to compare the following scenarios:

• Capacity for large group worship space, approximately 1,500–2,000
• Capacity for campus housing for 1,500-2,000 (prefer tower dorms with indoor access to rooms, prefer suites with bathrooms; per person price should include towels, sheets, blankets and pillows)
• Capacity of dining hall (How long does it take to feed 800 people? 1,000 people? 1,200 people? 1,500 people? 2,000 people?)
• Capacity for workshop/meeting rooms  – need 30-40 unique spaces available at the same time in addition to event chapel space
• What is included with a contract in terms of staff and facility?
  • Audio/visual equipment and staff included or not?
  • Recreational facilities (Pool? Gym? Outdoors?)
  • Security Staff? Health care staff? Residence Hall staff?

When considering Transportation to the event location, we will consider the following:

• How close is the airport?
• Is the airport a major hub?
• How might we coordinate airport shuttles?
• What are parking and lodging options for charter bus drivers?
• Is there Amtrak access?

A hosting diocese will be expected to help staff local support in the following ways:

• Hospitality crew for arrival and departure days
• Daily hospitality support for behind-the-scenes preparation for workshops and recreation
• Possible local mission opportunities

All bids and facility negotiations for housing the Episcopal Youth Event are the responsibility of the officer for Youth Ministry of the Episcopal Church. Independent dioceses may not negotiate or contract on behalf of the Episcopal Church.

Filed under: Episcopal Youth Event