Province V Youth Event

The dioceses of the Episcopal Church are grouped into nine geographical provinces. These provinces share in the ministry and governance of the church, supporting regional collaboration between dioceses, as well as the election and appointment of various church-wide positions. Each province does regional ministry differently.

Province V is a network of 11 dioceses of the Episcopal Church in the Upper Midwest region of the United States (including the Episcopal Diocese of Wisconsin).

Each diocese gives an apportionment to the Province to support ministries and networking opportunities.

Source: www.provincev.org/about

The 2026 Province V Youth Event (PYE26) is a gathering of teens from across Province V — aka — the Episcopal Church in the Upper Midwest! This year, we’ll be heading to KALAMZOO, MICHIGAN (Eastern Time Zone)!

Open to students in grades 6–12 (‘25-’26 academic year), this gathering will give youth and their adult leaders an opportunity to gather with fellow Episcopalians from across the Midwest.

PYE26 will be running alongside and in partnership with the Big Provincial Gathering (BPG), which is an event that gathers lay and ordained leaders from across Province V for fellowship, networking, workshops, and of course, worship.

Participants and adult chaperones will stay overnight at St. Barnabas Episcopal Church in Portage, about a 15 minute drive from our primary event host sites: St. Luke’s Episcopal Church & First Presbyterian Church, both in Kalamazoo.

Youth & adult leaders will take part in:

• Worship and prayer

• Workshops & ice breakers

• Games and fellowship

• Music and creative activities

• Plenty of snacks and shared meals

PYE26 is sponsored by the Province V Youth Ministry Network (aka diocesan youth leaders), Province V Staff & Executive Board, and the Episcopal Diocese of the Great Lakes (host diocese located in Michigan).

• Students currently in grades 6–12 for the 2025-2026 academic year

• Adult chaperones (Trip Lead + additional adults; chaperone numbers based on student numbers and will follow PYE26 student-to-adult ratios

Province V Youth Event Prices:

• There is no registration fee for PYE26. However, participants will be responsible for bringing and/or paying for meals/snacks while traveling to/from PYE26.

• Overnight lodging is FREE for all PYE26 youth participants & adult chaperones!

If your student would like to attend PYE26 and needs assistance covering meals on the road, contact Erin “Ernie” Wolf at erin@diowis.org for assistance.

Cost should not be a barrier to participating!

Please note our DIOWIS Trip Lead/Registrar, Erin “Ernie” Wolf, is also the Director for EpiscoWisco Camp and will be on-site June 20 - July 10, 2026. Expect delays in replies/communication starting June 15, 2026. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Any students and/or adult chaperones wishing to be part of the DIOWIS Delegation for PYE26 must complete the DIOWIS Registration Form by end-of-day Friday, June 26, 2026.

CLICK HEREto register as part of the DIOWIS Delegation.

If traveling to BPG with your family unit with a teen wishing to participate at PYE26, parents/legal guardians should CLICK HERE to complete the Individual Registration for PYE26.

Forms that will be required for this event:

• Authorization & Agreement Form CLICK HERE

• Health History Form CLICK HERE

• Transportation Authorization Form (Coming soon!)

Keep watching this page for more updates!

Please note our DIOWIS Trip Lead/Registrar, Erin “Ernie” Wolf, is also the Director for EpiscoWisco Camp and will be on-site June 20 - July 10, 2026. Expect delays in replies/communication starting June 15, 2026. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Theme: “We Will, With God’s Help”

Join us for a meaningful and spirit-filled gathering centered on our shared commitment to the Baptismal Covenant and how we are called to live in community—both inside and outside the church. Rooted in the promise “We will, with God’s help,” this event invites us to reflect on how faith shapes our relationships, our service, and our daily lives.

Departure Date/Time:
Wednesday, July 29 (Time TBD); overnight in Portage, MI

Thursday, July 30, 1pm EDT:
PYE26 begins with youth participants & adult leaders in Kalamazoo, MI!

Friday, July 31, 12 Noon EDT:
PYE26 crew joins the Big Provincial Gathering (BPG) festivities in Kalamazoo! Workshops, worship, fellowship, & more!

Saturday, Aug. 1, 3pm EDT:
Closing prayers and sending forth!

Return Date/Time:
Saturday, Aug. 1 (late o’clock/Time TBD)

Travel Details and other important event information will be made available in Spring 2026. We will be driving, so please add Wednesday, July 29 when saving dates on your calendar!

Overnight Host Site: Youth Attendees & Adult Chaperones will be staying at St. Barnabas Episcopal Church in Portage, MI, about 15 minutes from our program sites.

All participants & adult chaperones will be sleeping in the fellowship hall at St. Barnabas. As there are no showers on-site, there will be designated times when groups can shower at the nearby YM

Program Host Sites:
St. Luke Episcopal Church, Kalamazoo, MI
First Presbyterian Church, Kalamazoo, MI

Rule of thumb: If you can’t bring it to camp, don’t pack it for #PYE26.

Packing Basics:

• Bedding (sleeping bag, pillow, blanket, or air mattress)

• Toiletries and personal care items

• Comfortable clothing and layers for each daytime/bedtime wear

• Any needed medications in their original containers with the name & contact information of the prescribing physician, along with medication name, dosage, quantity, and dosage frequency clearly marked.

• Medications for all youth and adults, including OTC medications and vitamin supplements, will be kept in a locked box and will be distributed by the Trip Leader at the times listed on health history forms and/or as needed for acute treatment (e.g. headaches, menstrual cramps, etc.)

• Optional: musical instruments for worship

Please do not bring:

• Alcohol, tobacco, vaping products, or illegal substances

• Weapons of any kind

• Pets

• Schoolwork or unnecessary electronics

Cell phones are permitted but must be used responsibly and respectfully. There may be times where we are going to ask participants to put phones away (similar to EpiscoWisco Camp).

Parents/Legal Guardians: Please contact Erin Wolf, Registrar/Trip Lead, in the event of an emergency.

We expect all participants and adults to use devices in ways that respect privacy and participant dignity.

Devices may not be used for phone calls/photographs:

• In sleeping areas (listening to music with headphones/ear buds at night and/or similar rest times is okay)

• In changing areas

• In bathrooms

Leaders may temporarily hold devices if they become a distraction. Exceptions will be made for medically necessary devices and/or in the event of an emergency.

This policy follows Safe Church standards and Wisconsin law.

In order to ensure a safer event for all PYE26 participants, prior to departure, all adult chaperones (including our Trip Lead/Registrar, Erin “Ernie” Wolf):

• Will be up-to-date with any necessary Safe Church training required by DIOWIS and PYE26 planners

• Will have completed background checks through DIOWIS

• Will remain committed to providing a safe, welcoming environment for all participants

• Will be certified in, at minimum, basic First Aid/CPR/AED training through the American Red Cross or other similar organization

• Will have First Aid kits readily available during both travel and the event itself

• Will work with Trip Lead and PYE26 event planners to ensure reasonable accommodations for any dietary, medical, neurodivergent, physical and/or other related needs

Emergency contact information for all adult chaperones will be provided to parents/legal guardians prior to the event.

Please note our DIOWIS Trip Lead/Registrar, Erin “Ernie” Wolf, is also the Director for EpiscoWisco Camp and will be on-site June 20 - July 10, 2026. Expect delays in replies/communication starting June 15, 2026. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Contact:

Erin Wolf, Registrar/Trip Lead
EpiscoWisco Camp Director
📧 erin@diowis.org
📞 (920) 918-4007 (please leave first & last name, best contact number, and reason for calling to ensure a callback)