POP Youth Rally 2026
- PZ
- 1 hour ago
- 7 min read
This past Sabbath, young people gathered at the Milwaukee Seventh-day Adventist School for a compelling worship service, a celebration of youth evangelism in the Wisconsin Conference, and an opportunity to serve in the surrounding community. Over 150 were present for the event, from all over Wisconsin (Green Bay, Frederic, La Crosse, Madison, Milwaukee, Wausau and so on), and from ages 5 to 65 (although the majority were in the Pathfinder to young adult age group). It snowed through the night, ahead of the event, but that didn't stop folks from attending what turned out to be a blessed and exciting event.
The Programming
The day began with Pastor Eric Jean-Baptiste, from Green Bay, directing a group of Pathfinders from Green Bay and Milwaukee as they marched into the gym, and a select color guard posted the colors. They led the congregation in singing the Pathfinder Song in both English and Spanish, and then dismissed.
Music, throughout the day, was led by Pastor Aseel Nazir and a team of young adults from the Milwaukee Central Church. At times, Pastor Zack Payne and Ricardo Colindres joined in, when some of the song leaders had to head out. Participation was enthusiastic, and groups of young people ran up to the stage to help sing and perform motions for the songs they knew best. Pieces of Purpose, written by Preston Carter (when he was a student at Wisconsin Academy last year), continued to be the theme song.
Inspirational messages were presented by Pastor Obed Salazar. The theme he focused on was around Bible characters like Joseph, who exemplified the concept of fitting into God's plan, no matter where life took them. Pastor Obed was an excellent choice for this event, not only because he is an outstanding preacher, but also because he himself grew up in Milwaukee, attended the Milwaukee Seventh-day Adventist School, and was a Pathfinder in the area. He connected well with the youth in attendance, and several even remarked that they personally benefited from the message he preached.
Ministry Spotlights were scattered throughout the day--short segments where young people and ministry leaders talked about various ministries that impact young people throughout the state. Master Guide Coordinator Naomi Kroneck talked about Club Ministries and interviewed a young lady about her experience in Pathfinders. Josh Guerrero, our Public Campus Ministries Coordinator, and his leadership talked about the awesome ministry that ACF chapters are doing on our University of Wisconsin campuses. Last Year's Boys and Girls Directors, Cameron Krawczyk and Hannah Bergeon, as well as several other Summer Camp staff, talked about their time as campers and then leaders in the Summer Camp ministry at Camp Wakonda. JAHWI President Ricardo Colindres and his team talked about the various events that they do throughout the year, in the Milwaukee area and beyond. LeAnne Baptiste, Vice Principal of Student Life, and several students from Wisconsin Academy promoted the school and talked about why they love attending. Through these fun and informational sportlights, attendees got to know better how youth leaders in the Wisconsin Conference are making a difference every day.
The Service
Milwaukee is the largest city in Wisconsin, and as such, there are many felt needs. One of the things this event hoped to accomplish was to mobilize our young people in service to the community surrounding our school. We ended up with three options for service that attendees could choose from.
The first option was to organize and clean the blue ministry bus from the Milwaukee Central Church. The Church uses this bus to do all sorts of outreach to the community, and so it is an integral part of their ongoing ministry. However, over time things get disorganized and dirty, and so they needed a team of young people who could take on that project with care. We were able to organize the donations by type and size and label them effectively, so that future use of the bus would be streamlined. Dr. Abby Peralta (a regular leader in local outreach) was present to help coordinate the effort, so that everything got placed in proper order.
The second option was to shovel snow in the neighborhood. A large group went out into the community, armed with snow shovels and a heart for service. They went door to door, knocking and asking if they could shovel the driveway. If the answer was yes, they would do so, and then afterward, the groups would ask if the residents needed anything else or needed prayer for anything. While it was cold out, the shoveling group had a lot of fun and came back with stories to tell of their time serving and praying with community members.
The final option, for those who were more hesitant to go out in the cold, was for the creative types to design cards for those who needed encouragement. Many designed cards for specific individuals in their lives and communities, while others designed generic cards that could be handed out to anyone in need by Pathfinder groups at a later time. Large posters were also designed for leaders in various ministries, to let them know that our Wisconsin Youth are praying for and supporting them.
The service portion ended with some of our local ministry leaders, Elders Tim Krawczyk and Deon Laurence, saying "thank you" to the youth who participated, and praying a special blessing over those in attendance. It was exciting to see the ways that our young people were able to reach the community this year. In future years, we plan to continue meeting in this location, and we are looking to partner with more local churches, ministries, and businesses for maximized impact in the City of Milwaukee and the surrounding area.
The Special Touches
The goal of this event is to differentiate itself from a regular church service in that it is geared toward young people in various ways. The event doesn't call for a strict dress code, it takes place in a gym, the music is energetic, and there are various special touches that we think make it a special experience for our youth and young adults. Aside from having a unique name (POP: Pieces of Purpose), logo, and theme song that serve to focus attendees on the idea of fitting into God's plan, there are other special touches that make it a unique experience.
First of all, the event aims to provide a kinetic experience with various fidget options and snacks to help tide young people over if the program goes long (the event starts later than normal church and lunch happens a little later). Especially for those who sit in the front rows, where various tables are situated, there are Legos and puzzles (both have pieces involved). Soda pop, popcorn, pop chips, and lollipops are all snack options. Scattered around the room were also small containers and wands for blowing bubbles (which go "pop"). All of these subtle activities help to reinforce the theme, which is that we are all pieces in the larger picture of God's purpose. The hands-on elements also offer the chance to do something with one's hands, while listening to the message.
Lunch and dinner were provided by the Youth Department. We want to give a special shoutout to the young adult leaders at JAHWI for purchasing, preparing, and serving the food. The foodservice side of the event went very smoothly thanks to the help they provided.
For those who stayed the entire day, there were a couple of unique elements of the program that took place after Sabbath. First of all, there was a giveaway where young people could have their name drawn to win a prize. This year, the third-place prize was three commemorative Pathfinder pins, the second-place prize was a super soft blanket from Camp Wakonda, and the first-place prize was a box of Dubai Chocolates.
Attendees could also put their friends' names into a box throughout the day, and at the end of the day, we determined who would be the King and Queen of POP. This is a silly element, but a fun way to get young people to engage in the event. We congratulate Josh and Sofia on being selected as this year's King and Queen.
To close out the day, there were several games that our Summer Camp staff helped to lead out. We are thankful for their energy at the end of a long day, and for getting the kids excited and organized for these games. First, we played a Balloon Pop Relay. Second, we raced to see which team could roll collapsed tables across the room on their bodies the fastest. Third, we played a game called Angry Bears, where towers of cups are set up, and then shot down using stuffed teddy bears and three-person slingshots.
At the end of the day, the Summer Camp staff team stayed until almost 10:00 pm to help get everything cleaned up and put away, and then we all went to Taco Bell as a final hangout before saying goodnight.
Special Thanks
While we've intentionally thanked and mentioned several individuals who contributed to the event and its effectiveness, I want to end this report by making sure we don't miss anyone. First of all, thank you to the Milwaukee Seventh-day Adventist School for allowing us to use their space for this event. The location, parking, and indoor space are so great for a group the size of ours, and we look forward to future opportunities to work with the school in hosting this and similar events. Also, without our pastors, who we are aware sent their young people our way, this event wouldn't be nearly as effective, so I want to say thank you to the pastors who intentionally promoted for us. Also, in conjunction with JAHWI, Jose Gonzalez provided his own sound system in service to the event, and ran the system for us. That is a huge logistical contribution, and it made the whole day go a lot smoother. Also, Josue Peralta and Anna Foll came to document the event by taking photos and video, and we couldn't show you all of the fun things that happened without their help.
After three years, the POP Youth Rally is becoming an established annual event. We hope to see you there next year (it will be MLK weekend Sabbath) in Milwaukee, and if you have any advice for things we can improve, or if you'd like to help with the event or partner with us in community service, don't hesitate to reach out.
In the meantime, check out this short video recap of POP Youth Rally 2026 by Josue Peralta