Youth Ministry in the Uniting Church 2010

Alongside preparations for NCYC [our currently biennial national youth event] at the Gold Coast in Dec/Jan I have begun reading and reflecting on and writing a little about the directions, issues and 'out loud' stuff I think is needed for our ministry with young people in the UCA to grow a better future...

Challenges:

- Our desire to live up to the diversity encouraged in our Basis of Union/identity

- Seeking to be contextual/incarnational

- Different theological and ideological affinities

- lack of resources

- congregations working out of 1950s understandings [maps]

- lack of connection to UCA ethos and ownership amongst many in our 'Youth Worker' network

- the differences between rural and urban settings

- 2nd generation migrant ethnic youth issues

Possibilities:

- the strengths of Collaboration

- 'Reculturing Youth Ministry' dialogue/workshops

- Training opportunities thru CSU/UTC and St Marks

- learnings from the 'fresh expressions' movement in the UK about congregations giving 'space, permission & validity' for things to happen

- the need to galvanise decisionmakers, regional workers and central thinking around values, strategies, models and ideas

- a simple goal like 'working towards a culture of effective youth ministry'

- good understanding of young people and our context/s and culture/s

OK... much more to come!!