Mission Yearbook: Behind the scenes, young adults help keep Triennium running smoothly

Young adults in t-shirts seated while filling out paper sacks — During the Presbyterian Youth Triennium, Luke Nancoo and Jade Fuentes wrote on bags that were to be used to make snack bags for underserved people in Louisville for a group called Hope Buss. A mission project during the event also included hygiene kits for Presbyterian Disaster Assistance and packages for Room in the Inn. (Photo by Rich Copley)

Putting on a massive event for thousands of youths requires extra hands working behind the scenes to make it all look seamless.

That’s why the members of the young adult service track were so essential at the 2025 Presbyterian Youth Triennium.

They’re “the Marthas behind the scenes, helping to make sure everything goes as smoothly as possible so those folks in leadership places can do what they are best at,” said Kris “Bubba” Brammer, young adult ministry co-coordinator.

Thirty-five young adults from the U.S. and abroad signed up for the service track, making themselves available for whatever was needed during Triennium, which took place at the Kentucky International Convention Center in downtown Louisville.

“Servitude is a kind of great thing, you know?” said Luke Nancoo, 20, of Susamachar Presbyterian Church in the Caribbean. “You really get the kinds of kindness that you put out into the world.”

Brammer said the service track participants were a fantastic group to work with. They had to be good-natured and flexible in a setting where needs were “always changing” and the group was “constantly on the go,” he said.

Man in red shirt helps move table — Among other things, service track members helped to set up rooms for different activities during Presbyterian Youth Triennium. Above, Kris “Bubba” Brammer took part. (Photo by Rich Copley)

The young adults’ contributions ranged from setting up rooms for different activities to writing various things, including inspirational quotes like “You are loved,” on paper sacks for a mission project that took place during the event. They also helped with games during the recreation section.

For Felishity Blubaugh, 25, it was reminiscent of assisting with a recent day camp at Trinity Presbyterian in Topeka, Kansas.

“Tonight, we’re helping with recreational events,” she explained earlier in the week of the Triennium. That included helping to run games and making sure they’re done correctly.

The service track also included multiple students from Hastings College in the Presbytery of Central Nebraska.

“Volunteering just kind of felt like the best way to use my time here, especially because I don't get to go out and do things like this a ton,” said Maxwell Blankenship, 20, a theater major with minors in religion, philosophy and music.

Back home, it can be difficult to find the time, but “I like to help, so being able to come here when all I have to worry about is helping is really nice,” Blankenship said.

Fellow Hastings student Hailey Gifford, 20, was similarly motivated.

“I chose the service track because it felt like the way to be more involved and be more active ... and have more of a meaningful impact on the event,” said Gifford, who’s studying math and education with a minor in religion.

Ethan Milne, 19, of Sheridan, Wyoming, said, “I chose to sign up for the service track because serving is something I've done for a while" in general, he said. “It sounded like more fun to be out there and doing some service than doing the leadership path,” another option for young adults.

Jade Fuentes, 19, of Susamachar Presbyterian Church knew right away that she wanted to be part of the service track.

“I was interested in it because I'm a very hands on-person,” said Fuentes, who was sitting at a station with Nancoo, filling out bags. “Helping out and being active is like second nature to me.”

Service track participants also got a chance to come together in the mornings to have discussions and go over things like the previous night’s worship and topics related to the day's theme, Gifford said.

“It’s nice to be in a room with other young adults who are at a similar point in their lives as we are to be able to talk about these things,” Gifford said. At church, “I'm really the only person my age.”

Darla Carter, Communications Strategist, Interim Unified Agency (Click here to read original PNS Story)

Let us join in prayer for:

Sunkyoo Park, Associate, Adult Curriculum, Korean Language, Growing Faith Resources, Presbyterian Publishing Corporation
Stephanie M. Patterson, Communications Manager, Presbyterian Women

Let us pray:

Gracious God, continue to encourage and equip your people. We ask that you continue to raise up leaders to serve you and their community. Give them vision, wisdom and ability to lead the way, according to your purposes. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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