End of an Era – PYPS

PYPS, Presbyterian Young People’s Society, Pick Your Potential Spouse. However you want to call it, yesterday I learned of some news that I never expected to receive. And while I have, like many before me, aged out and ultimately drifted away from the organization a friend whom I met through PYPS posted the following on Facebook.

THE FUTURE OF PYPS

Hello PYPS family,

Recently the Synod of Central Northeastern Ontario and Bermuda had their annual meeting and decided to pull funding from our ministry. We felt that, in the face of declining attendance, the money that has been allotted to PYPS in the past could be more faithfully distributed among other missions of the church. While we are saddened by the end of this ministry that has changed our lives so positively, we understand and respect the decision that was made and know that the church will use the money to help our hurting world faithfully and with love.

We are proud of this ministry and of the way we have affected the lives of those involved over the years. Although CNOB PYPS is no more, we know that God will still work through us to change the world for the better. We will not stop living for the well-being of creation because that is the purpose of conscious human life.
Thank you so much for all of your support over the years, be you a participant, an alumnus, a church, or simply a fan. Without you, we could not have made the difference we made and we will never stop thanking God for that.

Our final CNOB PYPS weekend is taking place February 9th to 11th. Stay tuned on Facebook and Twitter for the details concerning location, theme, and speaker. Let’s make this last weekend the best one ever.

Anyone who has listened to some of my stories in the past, know that PYPS was a special part of my life through high school and into college, and it was where I first picked up a camera in any serious fashion. While those days pre-date those of the blog and these images are still online religated to some of my earliest albums on Flickr I decided in light of the news to share some of my PYPS and Photography journey here, on the blog, where they belong. These photos run from 2002 up until the end of 2008. Ranging from my early days shooting consumer film, up to professional digital work and everything in-between.

Nap Time
Minolta HiMatic 7s – Minolta Rokkor-PF 1:1.8 f=45mm – Fuji Superia 200
Small Group
Minolta HiMatic 7s – Minolta Rokkor-PF 1:1.8 f=45mm – Fuji Superia 200
Amy
Minolta HiMatic 7s – Minolta Rokkor-PF 1:1.8 f=45mm – Fuji Superia 200
Matt and the Pig
Minolta SR-T 102 – Minolta Rokkor-PF 1:1.7 f=50mm – Kodak Max 400
The Closet
Minolta SR-T 102 – Minolta Rokkor-PF 1:1.7 f=50mm – Kodak Max 400
A Pile of PYPSers
Minolta Riva Zoom 90 – Minolta Aspherical Zoom Lens 38-90mm f/4.8-10.8 – Kodak Max 400
Another Dance
Minolta SR-T 102 – Minolta Rokkor-PF 1:1.7 f=50mm – Kodak Max 400
Chilling
Minolta SR-T 102 – Minolta Rokkor-PF 1:1.7 f=50mm – Kodak Max 400
1950
Minolta HiMatic 7s – Minolta Rokkor-PF 1:1.8 f=45mm – Kodak Max 400
Whee
Minolta Riva Zoom 90 – Minolta Aspherical Zoom Lens 38-90mm f/4.8-10.8 – Kodak Max 400
Committee
Minolta SR-T 102 – Minolta Rokkor-PF 1:1.7 f=50mm – Ilford XP2 Super 400
Play On!
Minolta X-7a – Minolta MD 50mm 1:1.7 – Kodak Max 400
ATTACK!
Konica Minolta DiMAGE Z2 – Konica-Minolta GT Lens 38-380mm 1:2.8-3.7 APO
Throw Your Hands Up
Konica Minolta DiMAGE Z2 – Konica-Minolta GT Lens 38-380mm f/2.8-3.7 APO
Pay Attention
Konica Minolta DiMAGE Z2 – Konica-Minolta GT Lens 38-380mm 1:2.8-3.7 APO
^_^
Panasonic DMC-FZ7 – Leica DC Vario-Elmarit 36-432mm f/2.8-3.3
Uh?
Panasonic DMC-FZ7 – Leica DC Vario-Elmarit 36-432mm f/2.8-3.3
Move!
Nikon D70s – AF-S Nikkor 18-70mm 1:3.5-4.5G DX
Small Group
Nikon D70s – AF-S Nikkor 18-70mm 1:3.5-4.5G DX
Five Girls
Nikon D70s – AF-S Nikkor 18-70mm 1:3.5-4.5G DX
Thar Be Treasure here!
Nikon D70s – Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 EX DC MACRO
Jonah.03
Nikon D70s – Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 EX DC MACRO
AirJay
Nikon D70s – AF-S Nikkor 55-200mm 1:4-5.6G DX VR
Lift Your Voice
Nikon D70s – AF Nikkor 85mm 1:1.8D
Candles
Nikon D300 – Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 EX DC MACRO

And so PYPS, thank you for all the memories, the late nights and early mornings. The new friends and the old. New churches and familiar camps. Wide games being chased and being the one doing the chasing. The years of photographs, the improvements and experiments. And while this chapter has been closed in my life for some time, I like to think it remains a foundation to what I am today in my faith, my life, and my photography.

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