wfn.org | Young people's ministries receive grants

[NewsDesk <NewsDesk@UMCOM.ORG>]

May 9, 2002	News media contact: Linda Green7(615)742-54707Nashville,
Tenn.     10-32-34-35-71B{215}

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS) - Twelve projects addressing young people's concerns
will receive grants through programs related to the United Methodist Board
of Discipleship.

The diverse projects include a Korean church in Oregon and the organization
of a national district youth council in Latvia. They will be funded by the
agency's portion of the denomination's Shared Mission Focus on Young People
initiative.

"These projects being funded represent some of the best, cutting-edge youth
and young adult ministries in the areas of spiritual formation and
disciple-making," said the Rev. Drew Dyson, director of the young people's
initiative. "We are excited about the impact that these projects can have in
their communities as well as the models and resources that they can provide
to the denomination."

A team of discipleship staff and board members and members of the Shared
Mission Focus coordinating committee and staff made the selections after
reviewing 68 applications. The Shared Mission Focus was formed to reorder
the priorities of the United Methodist Church related to the issues and
concerns of youth, and young adults. 

Each project had to meet criteria determined by Shared Mission Focus and
guidelines set by the Board of Discipleship. Those include equipping pastors
for leadership and partnership roles with young people, preparing young
people for ministry, and providing youth and young adult programs that
encourage lifelong learning and faith development.

Each of the denomination's 14 program agencies will receive $125,000 from
the Shared Mission Focus through 2004 to distribute to United
Methodist-related ministries that relate to youth and young adults.

Projects receiving funds through the Board of Discipleship are:
7	Abrazos de Amor, La Trinidad United Methodist Church, San Antonio,
$12,000. The church is implementing a Christian Youth-In-Community Project
to provide peer, professional, academic and psychological counseling and
guidance to improve the social, emotional, physical and spiritual well-being
of local youth.
7	Disciples in the Streets, Broadway Christian Parish United Methodist
Church, South Bend, Ind., $12,000. The program will identify and celebrate
the gifts of the spirit at work in the lives of the people in the community.
7	Jubilee Youth Ministry, Miami Valley United Methodist Mission
Society, Dayton, Ohio, $12,000. The program plans to equip young people in
West Dayton for ministry.
7	Nurturing Ministries, New England Annual Conference, Lawrence,
Mass., $12,000. The conference will launch an outreach project focused on
faith formation through a retreat experience.
7	OIMC Regional Consultants, Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference,
$12,000. The project trains consultants to help strengthen local church
youth ministry, leadership development and service to the congregation and
community.
7	Reaching Out to Young Adults, Trinity United Methodist Church,
Denver, $12,000. The project provides leadership and a strategy for meeting
the spiritual needs of local young adults.
7	United Methodist Cooperative, Little Rock, Ark., $12,000. The
cooperative wants to increase the effectiveness of South Little Rock
churches in making disciples of youth and to revitalize each local church in
that mission.
7	Discipleship Training for the Institute for Discipleship at
Southwestern College, Winfield Kan., $10,000. The program helps college
students explore their callings within a diverse cultural experience,
particularly by receiving training and being in ministry with middle school
and high school youth.
7	Making Disciples of Jesus Christ, Rizal District UMYAF, Marikina
City, Manila, Philippines, $9,000. The district will focus on spiritual
formation and growth, developing young people as future church leaders and
partners in mission. It will emphasize that leadership is about making
disciples of Jesus instead of disciples of church structure.
7	Crave, Christ United Methodist Church, Fairfax Station, Va., $7,500.
The program involves monthly worship and focuses on helping youth find new
ways of experiencing the Word of God. Crave is in ministry with 10 other
United Methodist churches from two different districts.
7	Latvia National District Youth Council, Estonia Annual Conference,
$5,000. The National District of Youth of Latvia will organize as a council
to coordinate cooperative youth ministries throughout the country.
7	Mission Possible, Grace Korean United Methodist Church, Beaverton,
Ohio, $5,000. This project, for young people in grades seven to college,
promotes an atmosphere to explore Christ through evangelism, worship,
fellowship and discipleship.

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United Methodist News Service
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