On April 2, the Anglican Foundation of Canada will launch the fourth annual Say Yes! to Kids campaign. Say Yes! to Kids initially launched in 2021, in part inspired by the impact of the pandemic on youth, with the aim of creating a sustainable source of funding for youth-focused initiatives across the Anglican Church of Canada. Since then, Say Yes! to Kids has provided over $625,000 to more than 125 beneficiaries and fundraising partners in support of youth-focused ministry and outreach.
The campaign will run from April 2 until June 30, 2024. Parishes nationwide are invited to set up fundraising teams and organize fundraising events to generate financial support for local youth initiatives. Parishes can campaign for the entire period or choose a date range within the campaign window to run their local effort. Parishes interested in participating can pre-register their fundraising team on the Anglican Foundation of Canada website.
Say Yes! to Kids Sunday
The Anglican Foundation of Canada is also inviting Anglican churches across Canada to celebrate Say Yes! to Kids Sunday on June 2 (or another designated Sunday during Pentecost). Churches do not have to be running a Say Yes! to Kids campaign to take part. Rather, the goal of Say Yes! to Kids Sunday is to rally Canadian Anglicans to celebrate children, youth and young adults, and to pray for the creativity and compassion to make young people a vital part of the fabric of the Anglican church, now and in the future.
“Parishes can use the Sunday’s offertory to support their SYTK fundraising campaign, if they are participating as a fundraising partner,” explains Scott Brubacher, executive director of the Anglican Foundation of Canada, “or they can simply use it for their own purposes — to support local or diocesan outreach to children, youth and young adults. Or parishes may wish to use the offering to make a gift to AFC’s Kids Helping Kids Fund to support ongoing grants for youth-focused programs and initiatives.”
New liturgy released
Ahead of Say Yes! to Kids Sunday, the Anglican Foundation of Canada has released a new liturgical resource. This flexible MS Word file includes prayers, readings, hymns and suggestions for including children and youth in Say Yes! to Kids Sunday services. The liturgy has been developed by a team of the foundation’s clergy board directors from across Canada.
Brubacher explains that the resource is intended to be used by all churches, whether they have young people in the congregation or not. “If you don’t have youth to involve as readers, greeters or elsewhere, the service can be a time of prayer for children and youth in your community and across the country. What matters most is rallying Canadian Anglicans to celebrate children, youth and young adults in our midst, and praying for the creativity and compassion to make young people a vital part of the fabric of our church now and in the future.”
