ELCA Bishops Endorse Youth and Family Ministry Proposal

Chicago (ELCA)-DM -- Addressing the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Conference of Bishops meeting here Oct. 7, a steering committee for Youth and Family Ministry challenged the ELCA synod bishops to make youth and family ministry more central to the ministry and life of the ELCA.

The ELCA is organized into 65 synods each headed by a bishop. The Conference of Bishops is an advisory body to the church, consisting of each synod bishop, the ELCA presiding bishop and the ELCA secretary.

"Youth and family ministry is the evangelical outreach for people of all ages," said the Rev. William B. Kees, director for youth ministries/gathering team, ELCA Division for Congregational Ministries.

"The whole church is called upon to make this movement visible," said Kees. "It is also an inclusive cross-generational way of living in community that will pass on the faith we have in Jesus Christ."

He further elaborated that passing on the faith will shape the life, health and ministry of ELCA congregations as well as life, health and ministry in families.

Over the past four years, the number of people who serve as youth and family ministers has grown from three to 42 in the ELCA Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast Synod, said Peggy S. Contos, assistant to the bishop. Contos emphasized that while she celebrates the expansion of youth and family ministry, "this can be a fragmented group of leaders," she said. Youth and family ministers are struggling for support and resources, and training is needed across the church, Contos added.

In a proposal, "Developing a Strategy for Synodical Youth and Family Ministry" presented to the bishops, the committee called upon "the church to embrace a vision, mission and core values which support faith formation in children, youth, families and young adults."

The bishops unanimously endorsed the proposal. "In endorsing the proposal, the bishops have publicly chosen to walk with the strategy by boldly proclaiming it as key to the church," said Kees.

The proposal invites the whole church "to recognize the urgency and create passion within synods and among bishops, for the evangelical task of youth and family ministry," it said. The underlying theme of the proposal is grounded in faith and how the faith is passed on to the family of God and the world, Kees said.

The proposal also noted a number of paradigm shifts from past practices to new practices in youth and family ministry, which call for transformation in the church. For example, the proposal said youth were once considered to be "a problem," but today they are seen as partners and resource persons. In the past youth ministry was perceived as a program, today it is a process and relationship, the proposal said.

ELCA youth ministry leaders will meet Jan. 30-Feb. 2, 2003, in Atlanta for the "Youth Ministry Network Extravaganza," a continuing education conference, Kees said.

*Diana Mavunduse is a communicator with the World Council of Churches, Geneva, Switzerland. This fall she is serving as a volunteer with the ELCA News Service.