wfn.org | NCC Event Supports Creative, Relevant Young Adult Ministries

["Carol Fouke" <cfouke@ncccusa.org>]

"COME TO THE FEAST" SUPPORTS CREATIVE, RELEVANT YOUNG ADULT MINISTRIES

National Council of Churches USA
news@ncccusa.org; 212-870-2252

June 4, 2004
For Immediate Release

By Leslie Tune*

TAMPA, Fla.-- For those who are considered young adults, going to church can
sometimes be...well, the last place you want to be.  That is because many
young adults have the perception that churches do not have programs or a
worship style that meets their needs. However, with the help of a new format
and lots of enthusiasm, about 170 young adults participated in this year's
"Come To The Feast" (CTTF) gathering May 26-31 in Tampa, Fla., to find
creative and relevant ways to develop young adult ministries in the local
church.

The term "young adult" is loosely defined as those ranging in age from 18 to
30-something. "The Art of Ministry and Play" served as the theme for this
fourth biennial gathering of young adults, which is organized by the National
Council of Churches' Ecumenical Young Adult Ministries Team. 

This year's CTTF event for the first time incorporated an experiential
learning model to try to meet the diverse needs of those who have a
leadership role with young adults at their church as well as for the young
adults themselves. During the first two days, workshops were held for campus
ministers, lay leaders of young adult ministry, denominational staff, pastors
and others with responsibility in their church for young adult ministry. 

The group that met in part one gathered around four themes: mobilizing,
building community, expressing faith and renewing. The groups discussed the
issues pertaining to their theme, talked about models and best practices for
ministry and collaborated to develop labs and workshops that could be offered
to the participants that came for part two. The workshops and labs were also
developed such that they would apply to ministry in the local context. 

Following a day of organizing, the second part of CTTF put to the test the 20
workshops designed by those in the first part. In part two, North American
young adults from coast-to-coast, including 11 from Canada, had the
opportunity to learn, be energized and renewed through worship and
fellowship, and get ideas about programs and activities they could take back
to their local congregation. 

"One of the biggest reasons people 'come to the feast' is that it fills a
void that they see in their churches," said the Rev. Garland Pierce, NCC
Associate Director for Education and Leadership Ministries. "It also equips
leaders and churches to minister to and with young adults and at the same
time provides an opportunity for leadership development, fellowship and
networking for young adults who are already present in the churches."

The lab titles themselves gave a hint that this was no traditional group of
church folks. Workshops such as "Popcorn Theology," "Theology on Tap," "The
Trouble with Faith and Feminism," "Tools for Faithful Discussion of Difficult
Issues," "Brady Bunch Ministry" and "Keep It Simply Spiritual" were
indicative of the unique concerns that young adults have as they seek to live
faithfully in the context of the local church and their denominational
structure. 

The Rev. Douglas Fenton, staff officer of Young Adult and Higher Education
Ministry for The Episcopal Church along with Bill Crenshaw, director of Young
Adult Ministries at the General Board of Discipleship of the United Methodist
Church, introduced this model to the Young Adult Ministry Team. The new model
was to serve two purposes: to equip young adult leaders and provide spiritual
enrichment and fellowship to young adults -- the two groups that most often
attend the CTTF gathering.

"The model definitely worked," said the Rev. Pierce. "We heard from a number
of participants and leaders who said it was a renewing experience and they
left energized to do young adult ministry. Someone used the word
'transformative' to describe the experience.  So much of the leadership and
the creativity came from the young adults themselves. It was really exciting
to see the energy of part one conveyed to part two."

According to Karen Cramer, an Episcopalian young adult from Salt Lake City,
Utah, who participated in both part one and part two of CTTF said, "I was a
little skeptical at first. I wasn't sure how it would work but it all came
together and it was great! It was extremely helpful and energizing. I have
plenty of new ideas to take back to my home church." Cramer was on of the
organizers and facilitators of the "Popcorn Theology" workshop.

Part two of CTTF abounded with practical examples for young adult ministries.
In one session about faith expressions for young adults, Kara Lassen-Oliver,
one of the conveners of the "Expressing Faith" track, said, "People need a
way into the church so that they feel comfortable. There is a big gap for
young adults in the church and we're here to get something started."
Lassen-Oliver, who is a United Methodist from Nashville, Tenn., recommended
that churches find ways to have young adults feel involved in the worship
experience, not that worship is done "to" them. She recommended simple
actions that could make a difference like placing a flower on the altar
whenever a baby is born or having worship services dedicated to young adults.
She also suggested establishing a core team for prayer to undergird efforts
to attract young adults to a congregation.

In addition to the labs, vibrant worship services were held daily. The Rev.
Mienda Uriarte, Coordinator for Youth and Young Adults of the Presbyterian
Church (USA), designed the services. Zehnder, a band out of Los Angeles,
Calif. led by twin brothers Tim and Tom Zehnder, provided praise and worship
music for CTTF services. The brothers -- who are active in the Presbyterian
Church (USA) and have been writing songs and stories since they were 10 years
old -- also held a workshop on music ministry in the church.

According to Tim Zehnder, they try to encompass the diversity of the church
into their music, not the least of which includes having a cello player as
part of their band.

"We try to focus on global worship and incorporate a whole range of music
including traditional and contemporary styles. We decided not to go with
what's separate in the church but those things that bring us together," he
said.

The band was a big hit with participants. On several occasions, young adults
left their seats for impromptu liturgical dance performances to their music. 

"The worship was inspiring. The diversity of the music in worship and the
litanies all added to the success of the event," said the Rev. Pierce.

One worship service was held on Thursday, May 27, in conjunction with NCC and
other churches around the country that memorialized all those who have died
in the Iraq war. For the young adults present at CTTF, this was particularly
meaningful. In their midst was a young man who serves in the Marine Corps and
who was in Iraq for six months. Western Chase, who is from East Lansing,
Mich., attended CTTF to get tools to work with young adults in his home
church. As someone who was in the middle of the conflict in Iraq, he said he
appreciated the memorial service. He also shared openly his views opposing
the war, his testimony about being there, and his prayers that the conflict
will end soon. 

For him, CTTF was somewhat of a reprieve since he will have to go back to
Iraq at the end of August. When asked how the week's activities were for him
he said, "This was great. Everything was great. I enjoyed the workshops and
the fellowship. I also have a lot more people praying for me now."

The National Council of Churches Ecumenical Young Adult Ministries Team held
its first "Come To The Feast" gathering in 1998 as a leadership development
event as well as a vehicle through which young adults could gain a broader
view of the Church beyond their local church, region or even their
denominational perspective. It is also a time when young adults can get
informed about some of the critical issues in the ecumenical movement. CTTF
seeks to help meet the needs of young adults presently attending church and
to draw others to the church.

Others giving leadership to CTTF included: Courtney Richards, Christian
Church (Disciples of Christ); Christopher Carpenter, Evangelical Lutheran
Church in America; the Rev. June Botwell, United Church of Christ; Vielka
Guido, The Episcopal Church; Jonathan Hemphill, ELCA; Bill Crenshaw, United
Methodist Church; Brian Smith, The Episcopal Church; Reggie Weaver,
Presbyterian Church (USA); Heather Dillashaw, United Church of Christ; Dianha
Ortega-Ehreth, ELCA, and Joseph Lyons, Unitarian Universalist Association.

Young adults representing the United Church of Christ, Evangelical Lutheran
Church in America, The Episcopal Church, Presbyterian Church (USA), the
Mennonite Church, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Reformed Church in
America, United Church of Canada, Anglican Church of Canada, ELCA in Canada
and Unitarian Universalist Association were present at this year's CTTF. 

CTTF is the NCC's Ecumenical Young Adult Ministries Team's signature young
adult leadership development and ecumenical formation ministry project.
Previous CTTF events were held in Atlanta, Chicago and San Diego. The next
CTTF is scheduled for 2006.

-end-

*The Rev. Leslie Tune is the Washington, D.C., Communication Officer of the
National Council of Churches USA.  She was ordained to the ministry by
Metropolitan Baptist Church of Washington, which is affiliated with two NCC
member denominations, the Progressive National Baptist Convention and the
American Baptist Churches USA.