St Barnabas

Fourth full day of St Michael's Youth Conference: 
  • Morning Prayer 
  • Breakfast 
  • The morning was spent in a large barn doing the "high ropes" course. It's meant to encourage teamwork and fear-facing, and consists of a series of segments that must be traversed at ten, then twenty, feet above the floor, with only taut steel cables to walk on between platforms and only ropes to hold onto, culminating in a door leading to the exterior of the barn and a 450ft zipline ride back to terra firma. About five of the kids opted out, and there was no shame attached to that. YFNB donned the safety harness and practiced the procedures and ascended to the initial platform, but then changed his mind. There is no shame, and not even any regret, but a smidgen of sadness for not being quite psychically equipped to enjoy such an experience. 
  • Mass for the Feast of St Barnabas, a little more liturgically upscale than has been our wont so far in the week, given the feast day. 
  • Lunch 
  • Part II of Fr Clavier's presentation on the gospel of Mark and Part II of Fr Baumann's presentation on the deep meaning of the Eucharist. Both were stellar. 
  • Choir practice. 
  • Dinner Evensong Campfire, during which we had a "read through" of the text for the traditional St Michael's Conference pageant/tableau, which we hope to actually stage in future years. I also held forth a bit on the significance of baptism. 
  • Snacks and debrief. 
  • Compline.

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