Gathering gives youth time for celebration, saying farewell

A UMNS photo by Maxim Kostrioukov From left: Julie O�Neal, Ciona Rouse, David Moreno, Lillian Smith, and John Miyahara participated in the final meeting Aug. 6-8 in Nashville.

By Kathy L. Gilbert*

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS)— A bunch of young dreamers got together recently to celebrate a new beginning and acknowledge an ending.

The final meeting of the Shared Mission Focus on Young People and the United Methodist Youth Organization was held Aug. 6-8 in Nashville. The two groups will be replaced by the Division on Ministries with Young People which was approved by 2004 General Conference in April. The first meeting of the new division, which is part of the Board of Discipleship, will be held Sept. 28-Oct. 2.

Eight years of planning by the Shared Mission Focus on Young People and 28 years of ministry by the United Methodist Youth Organization were celebrated with a closing worship ceremony that included the releasing of a white dove.

“The final meeting was bittersweet,” said Jay Williams, who has been co-leader of the group since 1996. “We rejoiced for the General Conference’s affirmation of eight years of dreaming and hard work, but we also lamented because our team has become family.

“In our closing worship we released a dove--a reminder that this process has been a movement of the Holy Spirit.”

 While the two groups will no longer exist, their “marriage” results in “a ‘new thing’ for youth and young adult ministry in the United Methodist Church,” he added. 

Max Kostrioukov, Toledo, Ohio, who has been on the team for the past four years, said he remembers sitting around the table with the other members wondering “How are we going to ‘develop comprehensive strategy for ministries with young people?

“But look at things today. There are so many things that have been done so many things that have been accomplished,” he said. “But there is still a long journey ahead.”

A UMNS photo by Maxim Kostrioukov From left: John Miyahara, David Moreno and Lillian Smith at the final meeting in Nashville.

“To say this is the work of the Holy Spirit is a bold statement, but I truly feel like the Holy Spirit has moved through each one of us that has helped to make this happen, including those who voted to have this division at General Conference.”

Fred Cloud and Tip Rice, members of the denomination's Joint Youth Staff (Field/Editorial) in the l950s and l960s, were special guests at the weekend meeting.

“When Dr. Cloud and Mr. Rice visited our meeting, we were reminded that the dream for ministries with young people was birthed long before most of our team members were born,” said Ciona Rouse, staff director of the Shared Mission Focus on Young People.

“In their eighth decade of life, they (Cloud and Rice) stopped by to say ‘we want to join you to make this an inter-generational commitment with young people, middle-aged and seniors, building communities of mutual respect and love for one another and God,’” said the Rev. Mary Council-Austin of the Wisconsin Conference and an adult representative for the team.

“They inspired us to return to our communities and as we gather youth and young adults, invite also the stories of the old, and who knows, amid the stories we may discover manna to nourish us all,” she said.

“At this point we have crossed the threshold of all the work we have done as far as this team is concerned but I know we have carried the dreams of so many people-- it is not just our dreams,” added Julie O’Neal, co-chair of the Shared Mission Focus on Young People. “The division is not the end and it is not the only answer. In four years, 10 years, 50 years, the dreams are going to change.”

 “I would say that this is only the first step,” said Trejo. “We need the church to trust that we are ready to be used by God in so many ways that we would be willing to take on what are commonly ‘adult’ roles. We plan to give the church new energy and ideas of ministry that is relevant to our generation.”

Rouse explained that the new division would offer resources, trainings, networking and financial support for local ministries.

“I love that the denomination has proclaimed that they are ready to be a church for all people, stepping out and doing something new with youth and young adults,” she said. “The division is going to need the prayers of the church. It will need churches to be open to new ways of being in ministry. Local congregations may have to change their views of the roles youth and young adults have in their congregations.” 

*Gilbert is a United Methodist News Service news writer.

News media contact: Kathy L. Gilbert, Nashville, Tenn., (615) 742-5470 or newsdesk@umcom.org.

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Suggested Resources Shared Mission Focus on Young People United Methodist Youth Organization