June 17, 2009

Guppy Fest youth festival to feature musician Matt Maher

Popular Christian artist Matt Maher will be the keynote speaker for this year’s Guppy Fest youth festival, set for 1 p.m. to 10 p.m. on June 19. Maher will also perform a concert with his band.

St. Thomas More Parish will once again be the site for the annual event.  Guppy Fest includes praise and worship, evangelization and community, leadership training, music, and Mass celebrated by St. Thomas More pastor Father Andrew Kemberling, V.F.

Guppy Fest is a Catholic celebration for students in grades six to 12 from parishes throughout the Archdiocese of Denver.  The event, first called Fish Dance, began as a pre-rally to World Youth Day in 1993.

The theme of this year’s festival is “For Your Glory,” taken from St. Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians: “Whatever you do, do for the glory of God (10:31).”

Festival speakers include Father Peter Mussett, parochial vicar at St. Thomas Aquinas Parish University Parish in Boulder, and Father Jim Crisman, director of priestly vocations for the Archdiocese of Denver.

“We’ve got a lot of things going on,” said Chris Roth, St. Thomas More youth minister.  “In addition to the planned activities we will have games too—mixers to get the kids together between sessions.”

Roth said that several hundred youth are expected to attend this year’s event.

St. Thomas More Church is located at 8035 S. Quebec St. in Centennial.  Cost of the event is $15 and participants are asked to bring along a sack lunch.  More information is available by calling 303-220-3388 or e-mail  youth@stthomasmore.org.