Each summer, youth from around the Diocese of Central Florida gather to encounter the truth of the gospel and live out their faith. The five-day event called Soul in the City is hosted each year at a different parish, where the youth work on service projects in that community. (For a look at the 2023 SITC, click here.) This year, the event was held at the Cathedral Church of St. Luke in downtown Orlando.

Not only did youth from St. Luke’s attend, but also those from St. Michael’s, Orlando; St. Mary of the Angels, Orlando; St. Barnabas, DeLand; St. Andrew’s, Fort Pierce; All Saints’, Lakeland; St. Edward’s, Mount Dora; Church of St. Luke and St. Peter, Saint Cloud and Church of the Messiah, Winter Garden. They all lived at the Cathedral for the week of July 22-26 as they served, fellowshipped and worshipped together.

Soul in the City youth at Clean the World sorting through soap that will be recycled and used in mission work around the world. | Photo: Courtesy Soul in the City

The SITC youth rotated through a variety of service projects all week, volunteering at places such as Clean the World, an organization with an environmentally impactful mission that helps provide hygiene supplies to those in need around the world. They also spent time serving organizations that help the homeless such as Orlando Union Rescue Mission, Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida and Matthew’s Hope. Several had the opportunity to prepare and serve meals, and most spent time with kids of homeless families, playing with them and helping prepare for a big Christmas in July celebration at Matthew’s Hope.

In addition, the youth did projects at One Heart For Women and Children, a popular area food pantry. Several youth even picked up some projects at other nearby parishes such as St. Michael’s and St. Mary of the Angels.

Soul in the City youth filling backpacks for Orange County Commissioner Mayra Uribe’s back-to-school project. | Photo: Courtesy Soul in the City

Another great service opportunity the SITC youth had was helping Orange County Commissioner Mayra Uribe with a project she was running to fill backpacks with school supplies for area kids in need. Together, they filled over 800 backpacks! Uribe even visited the youth one evening to meet and share with all of them. “I absolutely enjoyed having the youth volunteers help us with our back-to-school project,” she said later. “They had such a positive spirit. … I hope we can work together again because young people are our future.”

Not only did the youth spend the week pouring into the community, but they also had the gospel poured into them. One of the highlights of every day was having worship together each evening in the Cathedral. The lessons taught each night focused on the four Comfortable Words found in the Rite I liturgy.

SITC Bible teachers included Dan King, director of family ministries, St. Edward’s, Mount Dora; the Rev. Tom Rutherford, rector, Church of the Messiah, Winter Garden; Joshua “J.J.” Joseph, executive director, Camp Wingmann; and the Rev. Garcia Barnswell-Schmidt, chaplain, Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy, Melbourne, who is also one of the three diocesan youth ministry coordinators. The lessons spoke to the young people’s identity in Christ and the hope they have in the gospel.

Diocesan youth ministry coordinators Revs. Bartle (L) and Barnswell-Schmidt (R) preparing for worship. | Photo: Courtesy Soul in the City

“I was excited by how hungry and receptive our youth were to the gospel,” said Barnswell-Schmidt. “They eagerly sat and listened as we taught the Comfortable Words and were deeply engaged in the experience and the connection of being in service to others, just as Jesus was. I loved listening to them as they expressed how moved they were to hear over and over again about God’s deep and wide love for them, making them feel seen and valued.”

The SITC week ended with a full Eucharist service with the Rt. Rev. Dabney Smith, assisting bishop, as celebrant. In his message to the youth, he said, “The word ‘comfortable’ would be understood as ‘strengthening.’ So these are the strengthening words.” He went on to encourage them in the hope and forgiveness they have in the gospel, telling the youth about the voice they have to impact the world around them.

The Rt. Rev. Dabney Smith serves communion at the 2024 Soul in the City closing Eucharist service. | Photo: Courtesy Soul in the City

“What you have been doing is helping each other realize that you are worth being forgiven,” he said, pointing out that “I’ve seen young people able to talk other young people [out of bad situations]. You never know where you’ll be called.”

Mrs. Michelle Moore, one of the adult volunteer leaders from St. Luke’s and a parent with youth in attendance, referred to SITC as “one of the most pivotal events of the year.” She noted the life impact of the work, teaching and connecting the youth experienced, saying, “Working together in God’s love toward something greater than ourselves awakens us to our true identity.”

The Rev. Kevin Bartle, rector, St. Mary of the Angels, Orlando, and another of the three diocesan youth coordinators, played a pivotal role in making SITC happen because he believes so much in what this experience means to the youth. He and a group of diocesan youth ministers worked months ahead of time to plan and organize the event.

“Soul in the City was a great opportunity for the youth to know Christ and make him known,” he said. “They got the chance to put their faith on legs and go into the community and share it with others through good works.”

Next summer, SITC will rotate to another location within the diocese. For more information about this and other diocese youth events, check out all the latest on cfdioceseyouth.org.