wfn.org | Young people share visions, dreams at joint meeting

[NewsDesk <NewsDesk@UMCOM.ORG>]

Oct. 8, 2002  News media contact: Kathy L. Gilbert7(615)742-54707Nashville,
Tenn.	10-71B{460}

NOTE: A photograph is available with this story.

By Ciona Rouse and Pamela Crosby*

OCEAN GROVE, N.J. (UMNS) - Two United Methodist leadership teams for young
people are challenging the church to "do better" in its ministries with
their age group.

Both the Shared Mission Focus on Young People and the United Methodist
Student Movement recognize that young adults in the U.S. jurisdictions often
experience a disconnection from the church after graduating from high school
or college.

"We're challenging the church in a Christ-like way to do better in its
ministries with young people," said Jay Williams, co-leader of the mission
focus team and a student at Harvard University. "We're not just saying do
something; we're providing ideas to make it happen."
 
In a joint meeting Sept. 12-15, the Shared Mission Focus on Young People and
the steering committee of the United Methodist Student Movement evaluated
the proposal by the mission focus team to coordinate youth and young adult
ministries through a single division of the United Methodist Church.

The Shared Mission Focus on Young People, a global initiative of the church,
was charged by the 2000 General Conference to develop a comprehensive plan
for the denomination's ministries with young people.

The two groups decided to form an informal partnership with each other in
the effort to enhance ministries with young people through the division. The
mission focus team formed an official partnership with the United Methodist
Youth Organization in February.

In the latest partnership, the groups will exist as they currently do, but
the mission focus team will receive feedback from the student movement in
developing the division. The student movement will specifically help in
developing the young adult components of the division.

"We have the same goals about transforming this church," said Hal Hartley,
director of student ministries in the campus ministry section of the Board
of Higher Education and Ministry. "It's been wonderful to be together; we
focused on the proposal and the broader goals of the division, but we feel
we are walking in step with you." 

Julie O'Neal, co-leader of the mission focus team and student at St. Paul
School of Theology in Kansas City, Mo., said the feedback from the student
movement team was beneficial. The dialogue between the teams laid out all of
the struggles and complexities of young adult ministry, she said.

"The joint meeting is a model for the church," Williams said. "Even though
our charges from General Conference are different, it's just great to see us
come together and vision and dream about our common mission."

The mission focus team also presented a plan for an interactive Web site
that would help young adults connect both virtually and in live settings.
With members representing nine countries, the groups considered how to make
the Web site reflect the realities around the globe. Members also noted that
other connectional options must be considered for young adults without
computer access.

"We've been able to find ways that I don't think even the general church has
accessed to be in ministry with each other," said Leon Franklin, chairperson
of the student movement steering committee. "It breeds the chance for the
church to have a consistent global mindset and to be sensitive to the needs
of people. And we're not afraid to bring those issues to the table."

Rufaro Gwarada of Zimbabwe urged the group to think carefully about using
catch phrases like "global connection." Gwarada, a member of the student
movement team and a student at the University of California, asked, "When we
say global, what are we saying?" 

Many churches in the central conferences empower young people, so issues for
young people from the United States are different from those in other
countries, she said. "Different countries have different issues. In our
country, the young people lead the church." 

That observation led many at the meeting to affirm the need for getting
knowledge from other countries, instead of focusing solely on U.S.
perspectives.

Meeting individually, members of the Shared Mission Focus on Young People
evaluated the makeup of the division and the relationship it could have with
existing groups for young people. In addition, the team revisited its goals
and common vision for ministry with young people.

O'Neal and Williams presented the concept of the division at the United
Methodist Board of Discipleship executive committee meeting Sept. 16,
following their gathering in New Jersey. The mission focus team's offices
are at the board in Nashville, Tenn.

Aside from planning for the 2003 Student Forum, the student movement
steering committee's meeting focused on what it means to be in relationship
with one another. The meeting began with a team-building exercise led by
Bill Crenshaw, director of young adult ministries for the Board of
Discipleship. He used Lego toys to illustrate how young people can build on
their individual identities to enhance the church. 

"That's the emphasis throughout this weekend," said Franklin, "using new
metaphors, new ideas, thinking outside the salad bowl, making new ways to
make connections." 

Members of both groups will meet again in February. Before then, the mission
focus team will draft legislation on the division proposal to take to 2004
General Conference, the denomination's top lawmaking body.

# # #
 
*Rouse is communications and projects coordinator for Shared Mission Focus
on Young People in Nashville, Tenn. Crosby is assistant editor and writer
for the Office of Interpretation of the United Methodist Board of Higher
Education and Ministry in Nashville.

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United Methodist News Service
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