From the Worldwide Faith News archives www.wfn.org


UMNS# 04537-Nordic, Baltic youth look to future


From "NewsDesk" <NewsDesk@UMCOM.ORG>
Date Tue, 16 Nov 2004 17:33:54 -0600

Nordic, Baltic youth look to future 

Nov. 16, 2004	 News media contact:   Tim  Tanton * (615) 7425470* 
Nashville {04537}

NOTE: Related resources are available at http://umns.umc.org.

By Markus Norrby*

SANTALA, Finland (UMNS) - Almost 100 youth leaders from six countries in the
United Methodist Church's Northern European Area gathered for the first time
for a weekend of fellowship and training.

"This is a historic gathering," said Bishop Xystein Olsen, at the opening of
the Nov. 11-14 conference. "This is the first time something like this has
been arranged for the Nordic and Baltic states together."

The Methodist Nordic Youth Council sponsored the event, and all the practical
arrangements were made by the Youth Department of the Swedish-speaking United
Methodist Church in Finland. The conference drew young leaders from Norway,
Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

The mornings and evenings featured worship and teaching, and participants
attended seminars during the afternoons. The seminars addressed such topics
as leadership and practical tools for youth and children's ministry.

Andy Frost, son of English Methodist evangelist Rob Frost, was the main
speaker at the event. Frost, who works through the organization Share Jesus
International, was also responsible for the Bible teaching, together with the
Rev. Hans Vdxby from Finland and the Rev. \llas Tankler of Estonia.

Frost also held a seminar called "Pioneering Front-line Mission in Today's
Europe" to inspire young people to evangelize in new and creative ways.

In all of the Northern European countries, the United Methodist Church is
small - numbering nearly 13,000 members, according to the 2002 General
Minutes - and an important aim of the conference was to show youth from
different places that they are not alone as Methodists. The event enabled
youth leaders to network with one another and build relationships, paving the
way for more cooperation and youth exchanges in the future. 

Forging those ties was especially important for young people from the three
Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, where the traditions of
Methodism are not so strong.

Participants also said they were amazed at how strongly they felt God's
presence during worship sessions. 

"This was a truly fantastic amazing conference," said Andreas Forsbdck, one
of the organizers. "God moved in a much stronger way than we even had dared
to pray for. We are really excited to see where this will lead. We are really
excited about what God is going to do among youth in our nations in the
future."

*Norrby works with youth in the Finland Swedish Provisional Annual Conference
of the United Methodist Church.

News media contact: Tim Tanton, Nashville, Tenn., (615) 742-5470 or
newsdesk@umcom.org.

********************

United Methodist News Service


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