Latin American youth, young adults gather in Colombia for Evento de Jóvenes Episcopales

[Episcopal News Service — Rionegro, Colombia] “¡EJE veintiséis! ¡EJE veintiséis! ¡EJE veintiséis!”

“EJE veintiséis,” Spanish for “EJE26,” are the words Episcopal youth from Latin America shouted as they greeted Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe, President of the House of Deputies Julia Ayala Harris and other church leaders on July 13 here at De La Salle Casa de Encuentros. Their jubilant shouts and choreographed dance routine kick-started Evento de Jóvenes Episcopales, a gathering designed to celebrate Latino culture and youth empowerment.

Myra Garnes, The Episcopal Church’s officer for youth, young adult and campus ministries, told Episcopal News Service she hopes young Latin American Episcopalians know how much the church “as a whole is committed to them and loves them.”

“I hope that the youth from Province II and Province IX feel the electricity of God and of the love of Jesus this week, and that they know … that our young people are leading now in all sorts of ways in ministry and their communities,” Garnes said. “I hope that they will be lifted up and highlighted this week.”

EJE26 brought nearly 100 young people ages 16 to 23 from across Latin America and the Caribbean to Rionegro, a municipality in Colombia’s department of Antioquia, near Medellín, for the July 13-16 gathering. Delegations and volunteers came from five of the six Province IX dioceses and the dioceses of Cuba and Puerto Rico, which are in Province II.

The event is styled after the Episcopal Youth Event, which has historically been held triennially in the United States. The first EJE gathering took place in 2019 in Panama City, Panama.

Follow EJE26 on Facebook and Instagram using the hashtag #EJE26.

This year’s EJE gathering will focus on forgiveness, discipleship and leadership. During the gathering, the delegates will break into discussion and reflection groups to address these topics. They also will participate in various workshops and activities, including a Q&A with Rowe and Ayala Harris, scheduled for July 14. 

“The themes are selected so the youth can empower themselves and grow and mature in their faith,” William Muñoz Vanegas, a member of the EJE planning team from the Bogotá-based Diocese of Colombia, told ENS. “The youth can mature by learning to forgive themselves and to forgive others; develop discipleship skills so they learn to see their strengths and can follow God’s path; and develop their leadership skills and learn how to apply them in their church.”

Welcomes continued throughout the first day. The delegates, for example, also greeted the six delegates from Cuba, who arrived shortly after the church staff, with cheers, claps, hugs and tears of joy. They were collectively celebrating the delegation’s safe arrival in Colombia after several months of uncertainty about whether they would receive their visas.

Before the evening worship service began, Karla Sikaffy duPlantier, The Episcopal Church’s interim missioner for Latino Ministries, noted that the Rt. Rev. José Gallardo Lucena, who was born in Venezuela, was ordained and consecrated as bishop of Los Angeles on July 11. She and the Rev. David Ulloa Chavez, The Episcopal Church’s partnership officer for Latin America and the Caribbean, led the youth and adult leaders in recording a short video congratulating Gallardo on his ordination and consecration.

Sikaffy duPlantier and Chavez told Gallardo they were unable to attend Gallardo’s ordination and consecration because they were heading to Colombia for EJE.

“He said he remembers EJE and loves the youth and the conference that was held last time,” Sikaffy duPlantier told the crowd.

The Diocese of Venezuela didn’t send a delegation to EJE26. The South American country, which neighbors Colombia to the northeast, has been facing numerous conflicts in recent years and is still recovering from back-to-back major earthquakes last month that killed nearly 4,500 people.

The evening healing and praise service started with joyful live worship music and readings from Ephesians 6:10-18, Psalm 91 and Luke 8:26-39. Wilcania Ortiz Chemountd, a member of the EJE planning team from the Diocese of the Dominican Republic, gave a reflection on opening up to God while at EJE26 and other times in life.

“God is here. …Let yourself be guided by the Holy Spirit,” Chemountd said.

When Chemountd concluded her reflection, several delegates moved around the worship space to hold individual prayer stations while the band performed contemplative music. Some delegates approached the prayer stations while others stood at their seats to sing as they held up tealight candles.

The service concluded with the delegates and adult church leaders standing in a large circle within the worship space’s perimeter while holding hands and swaying in unison to the music.

Based on the delegates’ enthusiasm throughout the first day, Garnes said she believes EJE26 is “off to a great start.”

“It is beautiful. The Holy Spirit is on fire, and we can’t wait to hear from Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe and President Julia Ayala Harris,” she said. “There’s a lot that’s coming, and we can’t wait to see the young people start leading some workshops and programming. It’s going to be awesome.”

-Shireen Korkzan is a reporter and assistant editor for Episcopal News Service. She can be reached at skorkzan@episcopalchurch.org.