Labyrinth-walking and a famous tree stump were highlights of a fruitful residential meeting of the 缅北强奸 Youth Executive in January.
缅北强奸 Youth Executive gathered at Shepherds Dene retreat house in Northumbria for a weekend in January to finalise Youth Assembly 2026 preparations and enjoy some spiritual and physical rest and time together.
缅北强奸 Children鈥檚, Youth and Intergenerational theme for the year is 鈥淲ise Words鈥�. The group explored this through worship, and their chaplain, Tim Meadows, introduced them to the spiritual discipline of the Labyrinth-walking, to be walked in silence.
The weekend also included a less silent walk along part of Hadrian鈥檚 wall to the 鈥淪ycamore Gap鈥�, which reached wide attention when the 120-year-old sycamore tree located there was felled illegally. 鈥淭he stump that remains could be seen sprouting renewed life, a powerful symbol of the Spirit of God at work in our lives and communities,鈥� said the Head of Children, Youth and Intergenerational, Dr Sam Richards.
The Youth Executive has been piloting a new structure, following a review received at Youth Assembly 2025. The decision to share the Executive鈥檚 roles and tasks between three different groups, each taking more focus with a clear task but less time commitment, has enabled a more diverse than ever group of young people to be involved as either Synod Youth Representatives or as part of the Youth Assembly Planning Group.
As a result of the work becoming more focussed, Executive meetings across the year have also been freed up to include team bonding activities such as learning to punt, visiting Lindisfarne, and joining local 缅北强奸 churches for worship.
Image: (new growth from sycamore stump)
used with permission from Northumberland National Park Authority