Phoenix and Flagstaff youth groups collaborate for winter retreat

Casey Goslin, PhLY Youth Director, and Allie Papke-Larson, Youth Director for Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran in Flagstaff, share this story of collaboration between two youth groups in different parts of Arizona.

Shepherd of the Hill Lutheran Church, nestled amongst the pines of Flagstaff, opened their doors and their floors to more than 30 youth and adult leaders in January of 2020 by hosting the PhLY (Phoenix Lutheran Youth) Ministry’s Winter Retreat.

PhLY High School Ministry invites congregations throughout the Phoenix Valley who have smaller youth groups to worship, play, and grow together by creating faith based opportunities. PhLY is directed by Casey Goslin, who reached out to Shepherd of the Hill’s Youth Director, Allie Papke-Larson, about the possibility of hosting PhLY and inviting their youth to participate in the retreat.

Shepherd of the Hills was very open and welcoming to the PhLY community and excited about the opportunity for their facility to be a blessing to the youth and leaders. Shepherd of the Hills facility was the perfect venue for the retreat with working showers, a full size kitchen, rooms for the youth and leaders to sleep, and an amazing sanctuary where the youth listened to meditations and grew in their faith through self discovery exercises.

On Sunday the youth and leaders all attended worship with the community of Shepherd of the Hills, many of the youth even sat with the younger kids during the children’s message. After church the youth shared with many members of Shepherd of the Hills how the retreat was going and thanked them for their willingness to listen as they shared.

At the end of the retreat the youth and leaders helped clean the church and the unused food and supplies were donated to the church as a blessing to the community. PhLY continues to plan on returning to the welcoming community of Shepherd of the Hills for another retreat in the near future.