9,000 Gather in Holston for International Youth Event
By Linda Green
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS) – They came by bus, plane, car and van. They were 9,000 strong. They came to learn about God and reach beyond what they already knew.
United Methodist youth from across the globe took over the campus of the University of Tennessee to participate in Youth '03, the international gathering for young people and youth leaders to grow in faith and learn how to live out their faith daily.
“I see 9,000 angels today,” said Bishop Mike Watson of the South Georgia Annual Conference. “You are children of God and are called to be God's chosen. There is something for you to do. I see in you the glory of God. Are you willing to reach higher to be disci- ples of God, to let someone see Jesus through you?”
Inspired by the theme “Reach,” the youth spent July 23-27 learning how to do that. Through Bible study led by bishops and teens, participants received the key to focus- ing on Jesus and going higher. “The Scripture is teaching us that it is not the altitude but the attitude that makes a difference and deter- mines how far you'll go,” said Bishop Violet Fisher of the North Central New York and Western New York conferences.
Each day of the conference emphasized reaching higher, deeper and further in faith. The young people learned how to go beyond themselves and their immediate communities to help others.
Their communities are far flung. Young people came from the United States, Mexico, Germany, Poland, Kenya, Congo, India, Lithuania, Mozam- bique, Nigeria and Russia to attend the event.
Several people who were expected from countries such as Liberia could not obtain visas for the trip. Jay Williams, co-chairperson of the denomina- tion's Shared Mission Focus on Young People's initiative, “triple-dog dared” the youth to leave Youth '03 changed.
“What if 10,000 youth were to go back to their local congregation excited and renewed, movers and shakers to change their local communities?” he asked.
Addressing the gathering, he spoke of his work as an advocate to free slaves in many parts of the world and of his most recent efforts to emanci- pate slaves in the Sudan.
“What if 10,000 youth said slavery must not continue? What if they demanded to be respected and loved, not only tomorrow but today?” He challenged the church to accept all ages, creeds, races and sexual orientations. He spoke of his dream of a church that “does not change with the times but changes the times.”
The Rev. Stephen Handy, associate pastor at Clark Memorial United Methodist Church in Nashville, Tenn., offered three types of “reach” – physical, emotional and spiritual – for the youth to consider in their faith lives.
Physical appearances are a concern for teens, but Handy encouraged the youth not to worry about their “physical reach” because “you cannot improve on what God has created.”
Using the biblical story of the woman who bled for 12 years, Handy noted that despite disap- pointment, frustration and disillusion, the woman found within herself a physical reach that enabled her to touch Jesus' garment and be healed.
“Regardless of where you think you are with your looks, God wants to give you favor. God said it is good ... very good.”
Focusing on emotional reach, he urged the youth to realize that individually each had the power of the Holy Spirit to overcome their “emotional trippin.'” Too much emotion exists in the world today, he said, and because things are not the way some think they should be, there are more suicides, homicides and gang activity, parent-teenager arguments and fights, stealing, lying and cheating and depression.
“No, you may not like what mama says, what daddy says. But, guess what? Until you own the house, pay the note, buy the car, pay the bills, you don't have anything to say.”
Emphasizing the need for spiritual reach, Handy urged the youth to reach for the hem of Jesus' garment, get on their knees and pray. “Regardless of what you are going through, Jesus will be with you.”
The four-day gathering included workshops on topics such as the basics of United Methodism and teen issues, as well as recreation and opportu- nities to do service projects in the community. Contemporary Christian artists Kirk Franklin and Natalie Grant were two of many featured acts that provided music and witness to Youth '03.
The significance of the event for Roko Nimata'asau, 15, of Centennial United Methodist Church in Sacramento, Calif., came “in learning about the grace of God in our lives and how it impacted other people's lives.”
Fourteen-year-old Leah Hrachovy, of St. Luke United Methodist Church in Houston, said she attended the conference to “try to get closer in my relationship to God, to get closer to friends I have and to meet new people.”
Wilsar Johnson, 15, of Asbury United Method- ist Church in Camden, N.J., also came to meet new people and to “learn more about my religion and get close to God.” Reflecting on the con- ference theme, she said: “For me it meant that you can reach to do anything in the world. You can believe in your opinions and be open about them.”
Green is United Methodist News Service's Nashville, Tenn., news director
Community reaps benefit when youth come to town
By Kathy L. Gilbert
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS) – When 9,000 youth descended on this college town for four days, they left behind some grateful citizens who benefited from volunteer work performed by hundreds of the participants over three days. More than 600 youth spread out all over town cleaning windows, painting walls, digging ditches, visiting children and the elderly, and performing a host of other volunteer jobs.
“The agencies and churches were so happy to get the volunteers, and the youth were excited to have an opportunity to serve the community,” said Ashley Garren, who coordinated the mission opportunities across the city.
Garren is a resident of Knoxville and serves as youth and children's director at St. Mark United Methodist Church. She is also a design team member for Youth '03, the international event held July 23-27 by the United Methodist Board of Discipleship.
“I have a heart for mission, and I am also an organization freak,” she said, reflecting on the extensive amount of time and effort that went into sending the youth out to more than 30 locations. Sixteen-year-old Rebecca Unrue spent an entire day cleaning bunk beds, floors and any- thing else that needed sprucing up at Knoxville Area Rescue Ministries.
Unrue, from Platt Springs United Methodist Church in West Columbia, S.C., said she is inspired to do mission work by Matthew 25:30. “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.'
“I think about that scripture, and I come to places like this, and it makes me extra thankful for all God has given me.”
Youth were given a choice to go on mission opportunities while others at the event attended workshops.
At the Wesley House, they played with the chil- dren in the morning and painted walls in the after- noon. At United Way, they compiled notebooks, which saved the organization from having to hire people to do the work. At the Knoxville Zoo, they conducted “zoo chats” and provided information to the visitors. At the Ijams Nature Center, they cleared a hiking path and dug irrigation ditches. “It was great to be able to show youth that mis- sion work comes in all different forms,” Garren said. “It gives you such a feeling of reward to work for God this way.”
Gilbert is a United Methodist News Service news writer.
Stephen Handy, assistant pastor of Clark Memorial United Methodist Church in Nashville, Tenn., opens Youth ’03. Handy also preached at Resur- rection 2003.
Not in big numbers, but Holston workers come through anyway
By Annette Bender
When the call first went out for volunteers at Youth ‘03, the request was for 1,500. Later, the number was modified to 1,000.
Organizers hoped that many would come from Holston Conference. Ultimately, Youth ‘03 managed to accommodate 9,000 participants with about 600 volunteers. South Carolina Conference sent the larg- est group: 300. About 200 workers signed up from Holston churches.
But all's well that ends well, says Eric Glass, who headed up the volunteer effort as Holston's connectional ministries assistant:
“It worked out great,” he said. “We had a lot of people who were willing to go wherever we needed them to go, so we were never shorthanded.”
Glass, who began preparing for Youth ‘03 a year ago, filled 1,250 shifts for the massive gathering at the University of Tennessee. Job titles included finger-painting attendant, “hammock land” supervisor, and inflatable game operator.
Nearby churches including Concord UMC and Church Street UMC sent large groups of volunteers – as many as 70. But workers also came from as far as Central Radford UMC in Wytheville District and Munsey UMC in Johnson City District, Glass said.
Several Holston members taught classes or headed up divisions. Carol Green, member of the conference's Peace With Justice Team, taught three sessions on “War & Peace: Military Service and Conscientious Objection.”
Samuel Gutierrez of the Prince of Peace congregation in Chattanooga led workshops on “Worshiping in Espanol.” The Rev. Bruce Spangler of Knox Area Rescue Ministries taught courses on covenant discipleship.
The Rev. David Woody, pastor at Cherokee UMC in Johnson City District, served as emergency services coordinator. The Rev. Mike Feely, minister of outreach at Brainerd UMC in Chattanooga District, took charge of 38 inter- national youth representing 16 countries.
Many volunteers reported they were up to 2 a.m. following devotions and back on their feet again at 4:45 a.m. to prepare for breakfast meetings. Some, like Glass, arrived on the University of Tennessee campus on July 19 and didn't head home until July 28.
The long hours and months of preparation proved to be worthwhile, Glass said. “It was an enjoyable experience – just to see it all come together and to see all the youth there and know it was for them.”
Feely, who enlisted 11 volunteers (six from Holston) to help keep track of international participants, also wrapped up the week with good feelings:
“I learned more from them than they did from me,” he said, referring to his charges. “It was a huge blessing to me and something I'll remember for a long time.”
Annette Bender is editor of The Call.
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