Denver teenager adds welcome ‘drama’ to 2025 Presbyterian Youth Triennium Production Team

All the world’s her stage

by Emily Enders Odom, Mission Communications | Special to Presbyterian News Service

Members of the PYT Production Team, from left: Aiseosa Irowa, Presbytery of Long Island; Grace Blackstock; Lauren Rogers, PC(USA) Ministry Engagement Advisor (Photo by Emily Enders Odom)

LOUISVILLE — When 17-year-old Grace Blackstock accepted the challenge of helping to plan the 2025 Presbyterian Youth Triennium (PYT) as part of a team of youth and adults from across the country, she did so with her characteristic upbeat attitude.

“I can do that!” exclaimed the high school junior, whose experience as stage manager and vice president of her school’s theatre club prepared her well for her role on the PYT Production Team, especially as a member of the Worship Ministry Team.

“Since my duties as an active stage manager for my high school’s theatre are to communicate with directors, technical crews, and actors to make sure that all are aware of any issues, worship was the team I most wanted to join,” Blackstock said. “I have experience in all of the things that are needed to plan and organize an exciting worship experience for the 2025 Triennium.”

Held every three years, Triennium is a gathering that draws more than 3,000 high-school-age youth, youth leaders and young adults from the U.S. and internationally. Sponsored by the PC(USA) in partnership with the Cumberland Presbyterian Church and the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in America, the first Presbyterian Youth Triennium was held in 1980 at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana.

Since the 2022 event was canceled due to the Covid pandemic, Blackstock joins thousands of young people who can’t wait for July 28-31, 2025, when the 2025 Triennium, themed “As If We Were Dreaming” (Psalm 126), will be held for the first time in Louisville.

Blackstock, in addition to being active in theatre and her school’s student government, is also a member of Wellshire Presbyterian Church in Denver Presbytery, where her mother, Beth Carlisle, serves as the presbytery’s communications manager.

“I’ve always felt a passion for leadership,” said Blackstock, who is particularly keen on accepting any and all opportunities to serve. “Any way that I can reach out and connect with the PC(USA) is good. I want to get youth more involved in the church.”

Because not only her mother but also her father, Rev. Steven R. Blackstock, is actively serving in the PC(USA), Blackstock herself is well positioned to learn about prospective leadership opportunities.

“We as youth have to advocate for ourselves,” she said. “I know that I’m lucky that both of my parents are involved in the Church and that I have a good presbytery.”

Most recently, Blackstock took part in a retreat, where the youth of Wellshire joined with their counterparts from Montview Boulevard Presbyterian Church, also in Denver.

“This is our first year to start a youth leadership team,” she said. “We asked ourselves how we could combine our two churches to create more activities for youth.”

In the meantime, Blackstock will be dedicating herself to her work on the Production Team, which met here for the first time from Feb. 22-25.

“At this meeting, the team began the work of shaping themselves into the community that God has called together to build something beautiful and life changing for young people in 2025 … and beyond!” said Gina Yeager-Buckley, mission coordinator in the Office of Presbyterian Youth and Triennium. “We believe that young people are in a place to create change in the church and world, and we believe that together, our faith, our own individual gifts, and our call to serve together will be something sacred and incredibly fun!”

The Presbyterian Youth Triennium is made possible by your gifts to the Pentecost Offering.