District Celebrate Life

Celebrate Life is a youth event created to inspire and develop the gifts and talents of young people in the Central Field for ministry in the name of Jesus Christ. It also strengthens the partnership between the Central Field Nazarene Youth International (NYI) and Olivet Nazarene University. During the May Field event, students will stay in ONU campus housing, perform and compete on college courts and stages, take part in worship with teens from across the Midwest, and experience a taste of college life!

Celebrate Life is held annually at both the District and Field levels. District Celebrate Life events take place once a year at various locations within the Olivet Nazarene University educational field, which includes Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Students have the opportunity to qualify for the Field event by participating in their District event. The Michigan District Celebrate Life event is scheduled for Saturday, January 24, 2026 at Owosso First Church of the Nazarene. Registration opens at 9:00am, with the Opening Ceremony starting promptly at 10:00am and the Closing Ceremony beginning at 4:30pm. The cost is $30 per student and $15 per adult sponsor, which includes registration, lunch, and an exclusive Michigan District Celebrate Life t-shirt. The Field Celebrate Life event will be held May 14—16, 2026 on the campus of Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais, Illinois. The cost is $135 per student and adult sponsor, covering registration, two nights of housing, and six meals. Additional details will be shared following the annual Celebrate Life meeting in February 2026.

Celebrate Life is primarily designed for students who are already active in their church’s youth ministry and is not intended as an outreach-focused event. Specific age and grade requirements apply for both District and Field level participation. All competitors and spectators must be in grades 6–12 by the time of the Field event in May to be eligible for any competition. To qualify for Art, Communications, or Music events at the Field level, students must earn an Excellent or Superior rating at the District level. For sports, students must participate in tryouts and be selected to join a team. In some events, 7th and 8th graders are classified as Early Youth, while 9th through 12th graders are considered Senior Youth. Each student must be an active participant in the Nazarene church district they represent. Final decisions about who may participate are made by the District President and Celebrate Life Director.

Celebrate Life offers students a chance to enjoy unforgettable moments with friends, showcase their talents in activities they love and in which they excel, explore a top-tier college campus, create lasting memories, and encounter the love, peace, worship, and transformative presence of God.

Celebrate Life is packed with over 40 exciting activities, giving teens from across the Central Field a chance to use their talents for Christ. Participants can engage in a wide range of events across categories:

• Arts: Creative Writing, Drawing, Painting, Sculpture & Craft, Still Photography, and Video Editing
• Communications: Bible Exposition, Dance, Drama, and Speech
• Music: Instrumental, Keyboard, Praise Band, Rap, and Vocal
• Bible Quizzing
• Sports: 5K Run, Basketball, Chess, Cornhole, Dodgeball, Free Throw, Home Run Derby, Hot Shot, Soccer, Table Tennis, Tennis, and Volleyball. Note: Students may only participate in one team sport (Basketball, Dodgeball, Soccer, or Volleyball). If they try out for multiple at the District level, they must choose just one in which to compete.

The Field Event at ONU also includes fun additions like an Esports arena, a brand-new disc golf course (bring your own discs), pickleball, and the reimagined Nazarene’s Got Talent competition (formerly Naz Idol). Two finalists from each district will be selected—one guaranteed performer and one wildcard hopeful—for the main talent show. To see official rules, rubrics, score sheets, or to watch a highlight video from last year’s event, visit: https://celebratelife.olivet.edu.

Registering for Celebrate Life is now easier than ever! (Cue the “Amen!” from youth workers everywhere.) Parents can complete the entire registration process online using a unique Michigan District link that will be available soon. The online form now includes digital signatures, so there’s no need to collect or mail physical forms. After registration, youth leaders are responsible for collecting the registration fee from their students. The preferred method of payment is to make an online donation through the district website. Once the donation has been made, two emails must be sent, the first to our District Treasurer Danielle Haldane at districtbooks@minaz.org, explaining the purpose of the donation, and a second to me, providing confirmation of the payment. If you are not able to submit the payment online, please send a single church check—made payable to Michigan District NYI—to the address below. Registration for the District event must be completed by December 31st! While late registrations have always been accepted, it makes my job much more difficult, so please submit the online registration by the deadline! Registration for the May Field event will open later this spring.