Summer Madness, Indeed!
Tim Burns, the Down & Dromore Youth Officer writes about his first SM experience.
The sun shone, the rain came, tents that felt impervious to all that could be thrown at them, collapsed in a soggy pile, only to rise once more as the sun fought back. With the rain teasing and threatening for the entirety of the festival, the sun ultimately was around long enough for everyone to leave feeling that maybe, just maybe, the sun just nicked that fight on points.
Summer Madness has ended for another year, those tents that survived where taken down dry and everyone left tired and happy with memories of a weekend well spent! There were some incredible speakers Miriam Swaffield, Patrick Regan, Barry Forde and Jasper Rutherford graced the main stage to explore what Jesus meant when he gave us the beatitudes.
There were seminars covering a range of topics ranging from ‘A Beginners guide to Christianity’, to ‘relationships’, ‘money’, ‘heaven’, ‘hell’ and many more.
There were tents filled with cafés and music: YFC provided an alternative worship space, (with some great pool and table tennis tables); CIYD offered respite to damp and harried leaders, and the general buzz around the campsite was infectious! Oh yes, and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness dropped by for a chat.
At DDYC we welcomed a team of 14 from Albany Diocese and after a few days of rest and sightseeing, put them to work setting up tents – and then over Summer Madness serving (the best) hot chocolate and feeding hundreds at the Bishops BBQ!
We had a great time, the ‘Bishop’s 4th of July American Celebration BBQ’ was a roaring success with over 450 happy customers getting the ‘best burgers in Northern Ireland’ (anyone who has been to Jacksons Butchers will agree), along with pulled pork or chilli topping, and a few other little extras, not to mention being served by the Bishop! Check out photos on: https://www.facebook.com/downanddromoreyouthandchildren
Proper hot chocolate was served to people coming back to the campsite at night, handing out over 150 cups each night of Summer Madness, all done with a hint of American Albany flair! It was brilliant to have over 300 young people from Down and Dromore at Summer Madness, along with leaders who dedicated the weekend to spending time with their young folk, cooking and caring for them.
We were sorry to see the end of the festival but it leaves us excited and eager to see what Summer Madness 2016 might bring!’