Youth invited to participate in international event
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A UMNS photo by Kenia da Silva Guimaraes, DMYP Worshipers sing at a service at the Alexandria Township United Methodist Church in Johannesburg, South Africa.
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Worshipers
sing at a service at the Alexandria Township United Methodist Church in
Johannesburg, South Africa. Participants in the Global Young People's
Convocation and Legislative Assembly will experience local culture
during the Dec. 28-Jan. 1 event sponsored by the United Methodist
Division on Ministries with Young People. The gathering in Johannesburg
will give young people opportunities for worship, Bible study,
leadership development training, and cultural exchange. A UMNS photo by
Kenia da Silva Guimaraes, Division on Ministries with Young People.
Photo #061123. Accompanies UMNS story #572. 9/25/06 |
Sept. 25, 2006
By Kathy L. Gilbert*
NASHVILLE, Tenn.(UMNS) - Young United Methodists from around the world
will have an opportunity to attend the first international convocation
sponsored by the division of the church created to make them
"world-changing disciples of Jesus Christ."
The United Methodist Division on Ministries with Young People will host
the Global Young People's Convocation and Legislative Assembly Dec.
28-Jan. 1, in Johannesburg, South Africa.
"Our ultimate goal is 'to empower young people as world-changing disciples of Jesus Christ' as stated in the 2004 Book of Discipline,"
said the Rev. Micki McCorkle, interim associate general secretary for
the division, which is part of the United Methodist Board of
Discipleship.
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Bishop Rosemarie Wenner |
"As young people come together in Johannesburg and share with each other
what it is like to be a young person in their contexts, we hope that
all of them will begin to see the beauty of the global mosaic that God
has created," she said.
The international convocation will involve United Methodist youth, young
adults, and adult workers with young people. Participants will engage
in worship, Bible study, leadership development training and cultural
exchange.
Guest speakers for the event include Bishop Rosemarie Wenner, the first
woman elected bishop in a United Methodist central conference (regional
units in Africa, Europe, and Asia). Her episcopal area is Germany, which
covers three annual conferences in the north, central and east sections
and has 65,000 members.
Other speakers include:
- The Rev. Liberato "Levi" Bautista, assistant general secretary for
United Nations and International Affairs of the United Methodist Board
of Church and Society.
- Bishop Eben Kanukayi Nhiwatiwa, Zimbabwe Annual Conferences.
- Sarah Crawford-Browne, an African clinical social worker with a
vocation to support community healing after violence and social justice.
- Beauty Rosebery Maenzanise, dean of the Faculty of Theology at United Methodist-related Africa University in Zimbabwe.
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A UMNS photo courtesy of the Western Pennsylvania Conference The Africa University Choir will perform at the Global Young People's Convocation and Legislative in Johannesburg, South Africa.
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The
Africa University Choir, here performing at the Western Pennsylvania
Annual Conference on June 15, will perform at the Global Young People's
Convocation and Legislative Assembly in Johannesburg, South Africa. The
United Methodist Division on Ministries with Young People will host the
Dec. 28-Jan. 1 event, which will bring together young people from around
the world for worship, Bible study, leadership development training,
and cultural exchange. A UMNS photo courtesy of the Western Pennsylvania
Conference. Photo #061122. Accompanies UMNS story #572. 9/25/06 |
The Africa University Choir will serve as event choir for the convocation and legislative assembly.
Time to register
"This will be an event to remember and a great time for young people and
adult workers from around the world to connect, learn and share with
each other," said the Rev. Karen Greenwaldt, top executive for the Board
of Discipleship.
"We are extremely excited to see the response and anticipation from all
participants and leadership involved in this one-of-a-kind event," said
McCorkle.
"We'd like to remind all our United Methodist youth, young adults and
adult workers with young people to register as soon as possible. Travel
arrangements and preparations need to be completed soon," said Kenia
Guimaraes, director of Central Conference Relations in the division.
"We hope and pray that young people will have opportunities to
experience other cultures, share their faith journeys with each other,
and find ways to network and share ministry ideas and resources among
themselves," McCorkle said.
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The Rev. Micki McCorkle |
Holding the first convocation in Africa reflects the division's
commitment to young people around the globe, she said. "South Africa is
also a country for which many of our central conference United
Methodists can obtain visas," she added.
"Young people will have opportunities to make friends from other parts
of the world, hear the faith stories and journeys of other young people,
share with others about their cultures, and learn and experience the
culture of South Africa," McCorkle said. "Also, young people will have
the opportunity to dialogue with each other about the global issues,
concerns and hope they experience and see."
Legislative gathering
The convocation will include opportunities for jurisdiction and central
conference delegations and individuals to propose legislation in a forum
known as the United Methodist Young People's Legislative Assembly.
Jurisdictions and Central Conferences will elect delegates who will be
voting members of the legislative assembly. The assembly will vote on
legislation to send to the 2008 General Conference of the United
Methodist Church.
The
legislative assembly will have five youth, five young adult and two
adult workers with young people from each of the five U.S. jurisdictions
and the seven central conferences. Sixty people from the United States
and 84 people from the central conferences will attend the legislative
assembly as delegates.
"Even those who are not delegates will get to participate in the
conversations and discussions around the legislation which is brought
forth," McCorkle added.
Registration, event and travel information can be obtained from the official Web site www.globalconvo.org or by sending an e-mail to globalconvo@gbod.org. For more information, call Miriam Castro directly at (615) 340-7182.
*Gilbert is a United Methodist News Service news writer based in Nashville, Tenn.
Jeanette Pinkston, director of media relations at the United Methodist Board of Discipleship, contributed to this report.
News media contact: Kathy L. Gilbert, Nashville, Tenn., (615) 742-5470 or newsdesk@umcom.org.
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