A busy refinery can be a noisy place. Hammering, grinding, sizzling, roaring fires, along with the shouting above all those noises, are some of the sounds of the work happening inside. The sounds at The Refinery, the youth space at Trinity, might be different, (though I would argue that the decibel level can be higher than an actual refinery!), but those sounds are also evidence of the important work happening inside.

 

In my role as High School Circles (small groups) Coordinator, I arrive early on Wednesday nights to help set up and I hear ping pong balls bouncing, foosball handles spinning, cheers, and a few friendly taunts as students start to arrive and play games before the main event starts. There are also huddled conversations, laughing, occasional tears, and shouts across the room as friends gather and catch up on life. Adult Circle Leaders also start showing up at this time, some leaving work early, to get a few extra minutes to build relationships with their students.

 

When everyone gathers in The Forge, what we call the big room, the sounds become those of worship, with adults and youth using their musical gifts in the band and students singing praise to the Lord. After a few songs and prayer, the sounds change dramatically to those of the Impossible Shot, where students and their visitors get to try to get a Nerf arrow through a tiny target across the room to win a prize. On the very rare occasion that someone makes it, the cheers are electric!

 

After that, the high schoolers split off into their small groups in classrooms while the middle schoolers stay in The Forge for teaching and discussion. I get to overhear solid Biblical teaching from Wes, Brian Bowers, and Stacie Foster that is tailored just for those preteen and young teenagers, along with their discussion and reflection on that message. I love hearing the students’ responses of how they interpret Scripture passages and what is going to stick with them. Meanwhile the high schoolers are diving into their curriculum and discussing that week’s lesson. There are occasional bursts of laughter along with periods of quiet when someone shares a struggle and their friends and leaders offer advice and prayer.

 

Wednesday night ends sounding much like it started with ping pong and foosball balls, a student leadership team huddle, and loud group conversations. There is a lot of activity and noise in The Refinery, but the most important thing that is heard each and every Wednesday night by every student is that God loves them and desires a relationship with them. The best sound of them all.