Youth Ministries

From the Young Adult Office:

Every four years in the United Methodist Church, an international gathering called General Conference gathers as the top legislative body of the denomination. General Conference happens April 23-May 3, 2008 and over 1,000 people will be in Fort Worth, TX discussing issues of the church and making crucial decisions regarding ministry and church law. Some of those people will be young adults who either have been elected to attend or who will be present to lobby for certain causes or issues.

During this General Conference, there will be the first-ever Young People's Address, featuring two youth and four young adults. This address is an opportunity for the entire denomination to hear from young people about their perspective on the church. It's sort of like the "state of the church" address from young people. The Young People's Address will take place on the opening day of General Conference, Thursday, April 24, 2008 at 11:35am (CST). You can view the address live by going to this Web site: www.gc2008.umc.org.

To read more about the young people who are giving the Young People's Address.

Youth Annual Conference Session set for June 10-14, in Lincoln

Heartburn—food and faith the Jesus way

If you can stomach a good time...if you give a lick about your faith...you won't want to miss Youth Annual Conference 2008 (YAC). Scheduled for June 10-14 at Nebraska Wesleyan University, in Lincoln, it will be a gathering of Nebraska youth from all across the Nebraska United Methodist Conference.

YAC 2008 features a concert, leadership and faith development, training sessions, outdoor and recreational adventures, soulful worship and an informal dance.

Please use the bulleted link below to find the flyer and registration form. Feel free to download and distribute widely among your youth community.

Registration is $120 with discounts for early registration and for bringing a non-youth group friend.
Questions? Call/e-mail NWU—University Ministries at 402-465-2222, eamos@nebrwesleyan.edu.

2008 youth—peace with justice contest

What is the Peace with Justice Speech Contest—Annual Conference 2008?

The Board of Christian Social Witness is delighted to offer this opportunity to all of our youth, grades 9-12. The topics include a focus on the 100th Anniversary of the Methodist Social Creed and two goals of the Millennium Development Goals, to cut extreme poverty in half by 2015. Scholarships will be awarded to the winner and first runner-up. More details The speeches (there is no alternative contest this year) are to be persuasive and of 7-10 minutes in length. Key aspects will be biblical foundations; references to the UM Social Principles; addressing justice, not charity or mercy; and challenging the church to witness for a more just society and world.

Important change. Please note there will be no district in-person contests. Speeches are to be recorded in video format (VHS or DVD). The VHS tape or DVD (including a printed copy of the speech) needs to be mailed via U.S. Postal Service and postmarked no later than May 10th, 2008 to your district representative.

Blue River District: Scott Frogge, scottmj@alltel.net, 402-617-3885, 2415 S 18th St, Lincoln, NE 68502-3722

Elkhorn River: Galen Wray, revgbw@threeriver.net, 402-387-2782, 310 North Woodward Street, Ainsworth, NE 402-387-2782

Gateway: Bonnie Brock, cbrock@atcjet.net, 308-472-5311, P.O. Box 326, Bertrand, NE 68927

Great West: Richard Haden, rhaden1@elsiecomm.net, 308-228-2380, P.O. Box 137, Elsie, NE 69134

Missouri River: Susan Sanders, sanders5072@yahoo.com, 402-721-4426, 2438 E. 12th, Fremont, NE 68025

Prairie River: Glen Holtz, gtholtz@gpcom.net, 402-678-2263, Box 209, St. Edward, NE 68660

Conference contest coordinator: Victoria Hatterman, 308-991-5663, e-mail vnhatterman@gmail.com


The top Conference winner and runner up will present their speeches during Annual Conference, June 11-14, 2008. Judging at the conference level will be Tuesday, June 10th, Nebraska Wesleyan campus, either late afternoon or early evening.

Scholarship awards will be presented to the Conference winners: $750 each for first place, and $250 each for second place. These scholarship awards will be paid directly to the school of the winner's choice when they matriculate.

The following are the topics for the 2008 Peace with Justice Speech Contest sponsored by the Conference Board of Christian Social Witness.

2008 Peace with Justice Speech Contest for UM Youth Topic One:

The significance of the 1908 Methodist Social Creed. 2008 marks the 100th anniversary of this creed. Contestants can address various aspects of the creed such as the social circumstances which prompted the creed; evolution of the creed and the Social Principles over the years; comparison of the first creed with the one we have today and why the changes; comparison of 1908 creed with the proposed new creed to be voted on at General Conference, 2008 (You can find this creed at umb-gbcs.org, scroll down towards bottom of home page.

Topics Two and Three: How people of faith can help cut extreme poverty in half by 2015 by working on goal one or two of the Millennium Development Goals.

Background: At General Conference, 2004, our denomination voted to support the Millennium Development Goals to cut extreme poverty in half by 2015. Our Nebraska Conference has voted to include these goals in our three year emphasis on Children and the Poor, 2008-2010. For the 2008 contest, youth can address either goal number one or goal number two.

Topic Two: Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger - Reduce by half the proportion of people who live on less than one dollar a day. Reduce by half the proportion of people who suffer from hunger. (This is the first goal of the MDGs.)

Topic Three: Achieve universal primary education. Ensure that all boys and girls complete a full course of primary schooling. (This is second goal of the MDGs—list eight goals.)

This contest focuses on justice, rather than charity. The following can help distinguish the difference. There are two feet of Christian service: charity and justice. Charity includes direct service, such as a food pantry, or homeless shelter, support of charitable agencies, providing transportation, providing cultural opportunities, listening and caring.

Charity deals with individuals, is spontaneous with no attempt to analyze the cause. It requires short-term help and tends to be non controversial. It is often program-oriented and tends to be more personal.

Steppin' Out—risk-taking mission and justice for youth


Take peace with justice work to the streets
Walking with Jesus means we walk on two feet of Christian service. One foot represents doing acts of charity and the other means working for justice to change structural causes of suffering.

When your youth group meets the criteria for being a "Steppin' Out" youth group, you will receive the "Golden Shoes" of charity and justice!

Church youth are invited to become Steppin' Out youth groups. Peace with Justice Ministries is providing education and action ideas on five issues. From taking the WWJD (What Would Jesus Drive) pledge to eating chocolate, there are many ways youth can step out in faith.

See the bulleted link below to learn more about it.