A New Beginning: LNS Young Adult Group Officially Launched!

Feb 22
3 min read

Last night at St. Leonard's Church Hall, something new, and long hoped for, came to life. The launch of our LNS Young Adult Group 2026 was nothing short of a blessing. What began as a simple desire to gather young adults from across our three communities and beyond, unfolded into a beautiful evening of connection, faith, and shared purpose.

Unexpectedly, we welcomed 18 young adults, each bringing their own uniqueness, stories, gifts, questions, and hopes. It was a beautiful reminder that when God plants a vision in the heart of a parish, He also stirs hearts to respond.

Quite a number who had intended to come were unable to attend at the last minute due to unforeseen circumstances, but many have already promised to join us for the upcoming gatherings. The excitement is clearly growing.

Belong. Become. Be Sent.

The heart of the evening was captured in our theme:

Belong. Become. Be Sent. A theme that expresses exactly what we hope this ministry will be — a place where young adults find community, grow in discipleship, and step into mission.

This is not just a slogan. It is a journey.

Belong – Creating a space where young adults are known, welcomed, and valued.
Become – Growing in faith, character, leadership, and friendship with Christ.
Be Sent – Living as missionary disciples in the parish, workplace, university, and community.

From the very beginning of the evening, there was a tangible sense that everyone present desired to begin this journey together.

The Evening Unfolded

The night began with Holy Mass at 6:00pm, grounding everything in the Eucharist. Before Mass, our hospitality, music, and welcome teams prepared the hall — setting up tables, name tags, food, and a warm atmosphere with gentle background music. By 7:15pm, the hall was buzzing with conversation over a light dinner. Name tags helped break barriers, and icebreaker conversations quickly turned strangers into friends.

The formal program flowed beautifully:

Opening remarks introducing the vision
A prayerful moment with Scripture to centre our hearts
A vision talk explaining why this group exists and how it fits within the life and priorities of the parish
Small group conversations around:
- “What brought you here?”
- “What do you hope for this year?”
An overview of our exciting 2026 program:
- Formation nights
- Worship nights
- Mission projects
- A retreat
- Leadership opportunities
A fun community game that helped everyone laughing, relax, connect, and enjoy getting to know each other better.

We concluded with a heartfelt closing prayer and blessing at 9:00pm.

Officially, the night ran for an hour and a half. Unofficially… it went much longer.

Though the schedule was designed for about 90 minutes, many stayed much longer — enjoying food, sharing stories, and building new friendships. It was a wonderful sign that people weren’t just attending an event… they were finding a place to belong.

The Best Sign of All

Many stayed on well after the program ended — chatting, finishing the food, sharing stories, asking questions, laughing, and simply enjoying being together.

That, perhaps, was the strongest sign of success.

Community was already forming.

Friendships were beginning.

Faith was being shared.

Hearts were opening.

Only One Regret…

In the joy of the evening, we completely forgot to take a big group photo before some people had already left. A small mistake, but one that shows how engaged and present everyone was in the moment! And perhaps that just means we’ll have to take an even bigger one next time.

Deep Gratitude

We are incredibly grateful for:

Everyone who attended
Those who wanted to come but couldn’t
The volunteers who made the night run smoothly
The openness and generosity of each young adult who stepped into this new journey

Your presence made the launch a true blessing for our parish.

Looking Ahead

Everyone left grateful — and genuinely excited to return.

Our next gathering will be on March 8, and we look forward to welcoming everyone — old and new — for our next step together. Yes indeed, we look forward to welcoming not only those who came last night, but also those who couldn’t make it and are eager to join us.

The journey has begun.

And it is only the beginning.