Photo: Although Youth Assembly 2016 canceled due to low numbers, the youth of Saskatchewan will be gathering together over the Assembly dates for a canoe trip, says MC Saskatchewan’s Area Church Minister for Youth Programming, Kirsten Hamm-Epp (left.) Other members of the Youth Assembly Planning Team from left to right: Val White, Sarah Unrau, and Katie Wiebe. Photo provided. 

You planned a party for 200 people with games geared for groups of 20. Food quantities have been tallied and overnight lodging arranged for guests who are coming from far away. And then you find out that only a handful of the invited guests are able to come.

That’s the kind of disappointment – and news – that Kirsten Hamm-Epp and her team of planners–Sarah Unrau, Val White, and Katie Wiebe–had to face. They are conveying the news to the 41 youth and sponsors who had already registered for Youth Assembly 2016, as well as those who may have still been planning to register: Youth Assembly 2016 is cancelled.

Based on advance polls in the fall of 2015, the team planned for 200 youth. But those numbers did not materialize before June 1, the date when commitments had to be signed for venue rentals, meals, lodging and certain programming plans.

The team reached out to churches with an urgent plea to state their attendance intentions. Many pastors and youth sponsors indicated they had strongly encouraged attendance. Over the May long weekend, 50 churches responded citing that large numbers of youth had already fundraised intensively to attend the Mennonite World Conference in 2015. Many youth are serving at area church camps this summer or are engaged in other activities.

“These are things we want to affirm,” said Hamm-Epp. “World Conference was a fantastic experience for youth last summer, and serving at camps is a huge part of the overall church experience for a lot of youth.”

Planners exhausted many possible alternatives to make Youth Assembly 2016 work with small numbers in a more intimate setting. But even with dramatic changes to lodging and programming, the event still faced a projected financial loss of approximately $20,000.

Hamm-Epp and her team have reached out to all registered groups and presenters already registered for Youth Assembly 2016. They will be reimbursed for their registration costs.

As conversations about the cancellation took place, Hamm-Epp said that sadness, confusion, and frustration were displaced with a new idea.

“While the big event has been cancelled, the youth of Saskatchewan are still planning to make their voices heard and will be gathering together over the Assembly dates for a canoe trip! All youth are welcome,” said Hamm-Epp.

Ben Cassels, Minister of Transformation at Waterloo North Mennonite Church (Ont.) offered encouragement in an email to the planning team. “I’d like you and everyone else who has been working so hard on the Youth Assembly piece to know that your work and efforts are hugely appreciated! It is hugely frustrating and dispiriting when you invest lots of time and energy into something and it struggles to get going. So thank you to all of you!”

According to Glen Guyton, chief operating officer and director of convention planning for Mennonite Church USA, convention planning staff in the United States are still optimistic about numbers for the 2017 convention in Orlando. His team is planning a gathering for 4,200 people, including adults, youth and children. The 2015 convention in Kansas City drew 4,667 attendees.

The Evana Network, an emerging group of Anabaptists that has drawn a number of former MC USA congregations, is also hosting a 2016 youth and adult convention, ReGen16, from July 5-9 at Taylor University in Upland, Indiana.