About Many Gifts One Spirit

Many Gifts One Spirit is a program offered by Sydenham Street United Church. Our intent is to present our children and youth with ways to meet and explore their spiritual nature in community. Our unique expression in this world is as personal as our fingerprint. Through the arts, Many Gifts One Spirit acknowledges, supports, and nurtures the personal voice of our youth.

Who is welcome? All children and youth from four to sixteen years old living in the Kingston area are welcome. Invite your friends, neighbors, cousins! There is no obligation for regular weekly sessions—join us when you can. You will always be welcome.

What do we do? Last April, 2010, Many Gifts One Spirit presented the music drama Jonah, an intergenerational musical by renowned Canadian composer R. Murray Schafer. This year, MGOS has received a $9000 grant to commission and produce an original work based on the old testament story of Job. Check our blog, http://schaferproject2.blogspot.com/ for further information on this exciting project.

In August, 2010, MGOS hosted a wonderful camp featuring Ghanaian dancing and drumming expert Kathy Armstrong. Joining Kathy as facilitators were Ghanaian dancer and drummer Kofi Duanyo, Kingston musician and teacher Andy Rush, and Northumberland County visual artist Alice VanderVennen. We will present another summer camp this coming August 2-6, 2011 with the same group of facilitators.

How do we plan our program? By listening to the interests of our members. By providing a place for young people to meet their friends and make new friends, a place where they can eat together, have fun, discover and create beauty, discuss big ideas or what happened at school that day, hang out in a positive and supportive environment.

Where do we meet? At Sydenham Street United Church, one of Kingston’s historic churches in the heart of Kingston. Come in through the William Street door, go through the door in front of you, we gather in the chapel (the first door on the left hand side).

When do we meet? Children ages nine to thirteen meet every Monday, 4:00 pm till 5:30 pm. Children ages four to eight meet on Sunday mornings from 10:30 till 11:30 during our regular worship service.

Why are we doing this? Our youth and children are the future in action now! Nurturing the spirit offers creative options for personal expression. In a busy world, Many Gifts One Spirit is a place for a young person to form positive relationships, discover, develop, and showcase unique gifts, and share ideas with friends. Personal experience with brilliant artists who work in our community and abroad can be life changing. The beauty around us and within us can be found in the turn of a phrase, the singing of a song, an image created.

Come join us and see what we are up to! If you have any questions, contact Rev. Elizabeth MacDonald, emacd@kos.net or Marie Anderson, mariemgos@sydenhamstreet.ca .

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