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[PCUSA.NEWS@pcusa.org]

 12-March-1997 
97123 
 
                  Presbyterian Youth Connection 
                 Prepares For a Hot Time in July 
 
                         by Julian Shipp 
 
SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa.--On July 23-27, hundreds of Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) 
young people will gather here on the campus of Slippery Rock University for 
"Connection '97," the first national event of the new Presbyterian Youth 
Connection (PYC). 
 
     Under the theme "Fulfilling Visions and Dreams," the event is designed 
to educate, celebrate, train and resource young people and youth leaders. 
Participants will be involved in workshops, worship services, recreational 
activities, presbytery group meetings and legislative sessions that will 
provide input into denominational decision making.  
 
     According to PYC officials, the event's schedule is busy, but the 
content and possibilities are exhilarating, according to Gina Yeager, 
associate for youth ministry in the Congregational Ministries Division, who 
was interviewed by the Presbyterian News Service (PNS) March 11. 
 
     PNS--Connection '97 marks the first national event of the Presbyterian 
Youth Connection. Are you excited? 
 
     Yeager--Terribly excited! And amazed at the energy and affirmation 
around the denomination for this event.  Everywhere I go folks tell me how 
glad they are "we" are offering this kind of an event for young people. 
For those involved in youth ministry it really has become obvious during 
the last decade or so that young people are asking for and are in need of 
an active rather than a passive role in the life and ministry of the 
church.  When I think about the impact of hundreds of young people -- youth 
who have been empowered, encouraged and challenged to respond to God's call 
and to speak for and to the church -- heading back "into the world," it 
really is an amazing thing!  Not only will the participants at Connection 
'97 be in the learner's role, they will leave Slippery Rock with lesson 
plans in hand, with the knowledge that their actions will make a difference 
in this denomination, energized and empowered to teach -- to lead -- the 
very workshops in which they participated in at Connection '97. 
Presbyterian youth ministry will never be the same! 
 
     PNS--Five days of worship, instruction, recreation and legislation? It 
sounds like a busy schedule. How are you going to pull it off? 
 
     Yeager--The first thing that comes to mind is Holy Spirit!  All of us 
involved in the planning and administration of Connection '97 recognize 
that we are responding to a call by God for action and direction for 
Presbyterian youth ministry.  The planning of the event, although heavily 
involved and often complicated, has really happened with a surprising 
amount of grace and ease.  I think we have felt all along the urgency of 
this need and this drives the team and the National Presbyterian Youth 
Ministry Council to venture out with a new event, one that is quite 
different from the typical youth conference. Yes, there is an amazing 
amount of work and time required of participants, but time and again we 
have seen that young people thrive on this kind of accountability and 
momentum!  In all honesty, when I look at the schedule I do breathe a 
nervous breath.  It is absolutely packed. It's one of those situations 
where we wish we could stop time and invent the 32-hour day.  The design 
team has been extremely thoughtful in their planning, however, and has done 
a nice job of balancing the intense learning and legislative segments with 
recreation, conversation and worship. 
 
     PNS--I am especially intrigued by the leadership aspects of this 
conference -- training young people to draft GA overtures, plan retreats, 
mission trips.  Why is it important to train youth in these types of church 
matters? 
 
     Yeager--Because they are the church!  They are members with as much 
responsibility and privilege as those twice their age.  As much as you and 
I are called to participate in the whole life and mission of the church, so 
are young people. And the great thing about this is that when we open up 
our mission to include the voice, vote and experience of young people, we 
open our lives and our church doors to a more lively and faithful ministry! 
Young people are already "leading." Why don't we offer them some of the 
stories and the tools of our faith so that their leadership can be more 
effectively utilized? 
     It seems that everywhere we read and hear that in this denomination we 
are confronted with the message that our church is "aging."  Recently, in a 
meeting in which I was participating, the claim was made that "we've got to 
do something about ensuring that the younger members of this church would 
be around...the future General Assembly Council members, clerks, educators, 
elders, ministers. ... All I could think of was the impact of Connection 
'97 -- that with this event we have the potential to really engage the 
younger members of our denomination in active service.  I was so excited by 
the thought, I could hardly sit still, and of course my hand shot straight 
up and I proceeded to "gush" about Connection '97 and the Presbyterian 
Youth Connection. 
 
     PNS--Of course, life can't be all work and no play. What do you know 
about recreation leaders John and Amy Hodges and musical mix master Kevin 
Harris? 
 
     Yeager--They're great!  All of our leadership are guaranteed to 
please!  John and Amy Hodges are a husband-and-wife team from Mt. Pleasant, 
S.C. They both have extensive experience leading and recreating with young 
people -- serving at such functions as Montreat Youth Conference, the 
Presbyterian Youth Triennium and many presbytery and synod events across 
the denomination. They are lively, creative and offer a terrific balance of 
youth-friendly fun and sound theology.   
     Kevin Harris is an amazing musician and music leader [from Kansas 
City, Mo.]. We were looking for music leadership that would offer the 
variety and diversity we were seeking in the songs offered, plus the 
ability to say "why" specific songs were chosen and shared. Young people 
are passionate about their music -- Kevin understands this passion and does 
a great job of modeling the blending of Christian thought and theology with 
cutting-edge sound and technique. 
 
     PNS--How will Connection '97 differ from the Presbyterian Youth 
Triennium?  Are there any similarities? 
 
     Yeager--I wish everyone in the church could witness the power and 
presence of the Holy Spirit moving in the lives and faith of our young 
people at these events and after. The energy and creativity is astounding. 
My hunch is that this will happen as well at Connection '97.  Although the 
Connection event really is a different kind of event, it will have that 
same "wow" quality to it for the participants. How can it not excite and 
inspire us -- 1,200 young people and adults learning and leading together? 
     The primary differences in the two events are that Connection '97 is 
truly an assembly and an event devoted to leader development and direction 
as opposed to the worship/spiritual reflection model of the Triennium. 
Connection is sponsored exclusively by the PC(USA) [the PresbyterianYouth 
Triennium is an event sponsored in partnership between the PC(USA), the 
Cumberland Presbyterian Church and the Presbyterian Church in Canada] and 
reflects the theology and polity of the Presbyterian Youth Connection, thus 
the PC(USA). 
     It was intentional on the part of the National Presbyterian Youth 
Ministry Council that there be a rotation of national and regional summer 
youth events.  Connection begins the cycle [the next Connection event will 
be Connection 2000], Triennium is next and then the third summer we are 
encouraging the various regions of the PYC to offer regional youth 
conferences and events. 
 
     PNS--You and the other members of the Connection '97 Design Team spent 
a long time planning this event.  Exactly how much time was spent behind 
the scenes planning, coordinating and organizing it all? 
 
     Yeager--The National Presbyterian Youth Ministry Council [NPYMC] began 
"dreaming" about this event several years ago. They really put the "wheels 
in motion" on the basic elements and feel of the event.  Last year they 
appointed a design team of eight council members (four youth and four 
adults) and a General Assembly staff person to serve as the design team. 
     The team met for the first time last spring [1996] to do the initial 
design and schedule, last fall to finalize site and registration details, 
and this spring [April 1997] to do everything else. At the February 1997 
meeting of the [NPYMC], we did extensive work with the legislative and 
worship components.  We are all learning a great deal in the planning and 
implementation of this first Connection. The council and the design team 
have done such a terrific job with the "birthing" of this event.  They 
really are an amazing group of young people and adults. 
     We are also blessed with an extremely gifted and gracious conference 
planner, Laurel Dagnon, at Slippery Rock, as well as the tireless help of 
the two General Assembly youth ministry office  support staff persons, 
Kathy Middelton and Mary Marshall. All together, with the leadership, it's 
been an exciting and fulfilling journey working together. 
 
     PNS--If Connection '97 were a car, would it be a Dodge Viper or a 
Porsche 911 Turbo? 
 
     Yeager--Most assuredly Connection '97 would be the Porsche. Guaranteed 
to be a classic. Powerful.  Able to "go the distance" with style. Fast, 
since it is a youth event after all.  And the "911" -- Help! -- we're 
rolling and we can't stop! 
     Those wanting more information on Connection '97 can call Yeager at 
(502) 569-5497. 

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