wfn.org | Shared Mission Focus on Young People seeks to continue its work

[NewsDesk <NewsDesk@UMCOM.UMC.ORG>]

Sept. 13, 1999	News media contact: Joretta Purdue*(202)546-8722*Washington
10-71B{462}

NOTE: This story is accompanied by a sidebar, UMNS #463.

CHEVY CHASE, Md. (UMNS) - Pleased with its own achievements, a movement
devoted to integrating young people into the life of the United Methodist
Church will ask that its thrust be continued into the 2001-2004 period.

In its last meeting before the church's legislative assembly convenes in
Cleveland May 2, the Shared Mission Focus on Young People decided to seek
further development of its work during the coming years. 

Created in response to legislation by the 1996 General Conference, the
four-year initiative sought to make young people, ages 12 to 30, a priority
for the denomination. The group has encouraged creative ministries by
allocating $1.7 million to 27 congregations and annual (regional)
conferences. Another $41,000 in mini-grants has been given to 12 pilot
projects.

Throughout its short history, the group has worked to foster cooperative
efforts between existing church agencies and special initiatives. A
consultation with the representatives of the denomination's 13 seminaries is
scheduled in October. 

By consensus, the 19-member team agreed to ask the church's Board of
Discipleship to administer the plan if General Conference authorizes its
continuation. In this draft, the resolution to go to the legislative body in
May would create a 23-member team (board of directors), more than two-thirds
of whom would be under age 30.

Further changes in the proposal may result from another meeting of the
initiative's leadership team in October.

The current proposal seeks development of a comprehensive plan that would
result in the denomination placing higher priority on ministry with young
people. The team would model and develop leadership for young people,
advocate for their full participation in the church, and equip leaders,
especially seminarians and ministers, to be responsible to their needs. 

Central to the proposal is the belief that the team would provide a forum in
which the churchwide agencies, other church groups and young people can meet
around a common table to develop creative ways of responding to youth and
young adults.

The draft proposal is asking for a 2001-2004 budget of more than $900,000 to
enable it to carry out these goals. It calls for the new team to hire a
staff executive and secretary. In addition, the team will determine criteria
for awarding $2 million in grants for creative ministries with young people,
if General Conference approves.

In other business, the group agreed to endorse a resolution calling for the
continuation of United Methodist Student Day with offering. The churchwide
observance raises about $500,000 in scholarship and loan money annually and
is one of six special Sundays with offering.

A program-financial team has looked at reducing the number of special
Sundays, in response to requests from congregations and regional bodies. It
is forwarding a resolution through the church's finance agency that would
reduce the number to four by combining some of the functions of the
observances.

# # #

______________
United Methodist News Service
http://www.umc.org/umns/
newsdesk@umcom.umc.org
(615)742-5472