Over 120 teens gathered for OM Ireland's youth event, Connect in Kilkenny from 20 - 22 February. The event aimed to help teens connect with God through teaching and worship, connect with other teens through fun interaction, and connect their faith with the real world. The event was organized in partnership with Irish youth leaders and other Christian organizations. Connect is also a TeenStreet reunion from TeenStreet Germany that took place in August, and an opportunity to empower and invest in young people.  

A highlight this year included Hard Drive, small groups aimed for the highest score in 10 crazy games with the winning groups going head-to-head for a grand prize. There was also Live Wire, a crazy interactive stage complete with gross-out challenges. Connect also helped teens explore how faith connects with the real world through Chat:Rooms.

When the lights go out!

Speakers Andrew Gill and Suzie Evans began the Saturday evening session at OM Ireland's teen conference by describing how the Colossian Christians faced the tension of being both IN Christ and IN Colosse - the twin realities of living in the world and yet seeking first God's kingdom.

At that point, the lights went out! The unexpected power cut was to last for over two hours.  With only dim emergency lighting and a couple of acoustic guitars, the worship group led teens and leaders in a simple but powerful expression of praise and worship to God.

The power cut proved a visual aid for the teaching - when things get tough in day to day life, when the lights go out and we face persecution, challenge and difficulties, we need to keep focusing on Jesus.  After the worship time, over 200 people crowded into another hall at Kilkenny College, armed with glow sticks and a simple sound system using a car battery.

On the response forms at the end of the conference, many teens wrote, "Have more blackouts!" The power cut became a highlight!

 Throughout the weekend, the teaching from Colossians brought out many other lessons on the theme of connection (connecting with God, with others and with the world).

"It encouraged me to see the variety of ways in which the teens connected with each other on all levels," shared OM Ireland's Andrew Garvey-Williams. "I believe the teens were also connecting with God in new ways and hope in time we will see the fruit of that!"

Please pray that the teens who attended Connect will be bold in their faith once they return home. Pray for more teens in Ireland to have a chance to hear about God.