• By Ang Hart, Detroit Conference Director of Youth and Young Adults •
“Don’t forget about us!”
Such a declaration might be the cry from youth and young adults in the United Methodist Church as the procedures, schedules and legislative jargon of annual conference start filling bulletins and meetings at local churches.
If a church is still finalizing whom to send as their “at-large laity member” for Detroit Annual Conference, they should consider sending a youth/ young adult. It will encourage them in their ministry to the world and connect them with other passionate young people in the United Methodist Church.
Annual Conference is one of the most exciting events of the year for United Methodists. We all get geared up to see each other, worship together, learn together and discuss important world issues as a body.
This is no different for young people. There are many different activities the young people can participate in that make Annual Conference special for them as well.
Youth who come to Annual Conference are instantly welcomed into the world of the Conference Council on Youth Ministries, or CCYM.
They are asked to come and sit with the other youth, and begin to make new friends.
For young adults it is a bit more scattered at the beginning, but there is a special schedule that they are invited to in order to get to know others, learn a bit more about the system, and be inspired.
For those who know a young adult going to conference, feel free to share this with them so they don’t feel so lost.
The youth stay on the same schedule as everyone else most of the time, but travel as a pack to be close to the adults in charge.
They get to do their own work after the day is done, which includes writing their own report, putting together their table for the ministry fair, and getting together whatever fundraiser they are doing for Youth Service Fund (YSF) or Saving People’s Lives and Spreading Hope (SPLASH).
(For more information on either of these topics, please contact Ang Hart, email below.)
The youth enjoy ice-cream socials and strawberry shortcakes just like everyone else, but with their own added twist of youth and energy.
Conference always ends with the youth getting to have a little fun with the Bishop and two District Superintendents — in front of everybody. It is a must-see part of conference, and the youth love to plan this out.
The young adults have a set schedule for the evenings so that they can be intentional about spending time together.
Wednesday night is the CCYAC’s meeting. The council gets most of its business done there so that the rest of conference is open to spend time with all of the young adults. If a young adult is interested in joining the commission, they are welcome to join them at this meeting.
Thursday the Commission invites all the young adults to dinner at the nearby Applebee’s. This is a time for the youth and young adults to kick back and make memories.
Friday is the Poetry Slam, where anyone is welcome to come bring his or her own work to read, and the Rev Jeff Nelson is the main attraction.
It is a spirit-filled event that is becoming quite a tradition. The location changes every year, but the young adults will pass out flyers to let people know where it will be held.
Saturday, the last night of conference, is just general hangout time, with board games and no shortage of fun.
Youth and young adults stay in the same dorm — as long as their registration form is properly marked.
If you want more information on all of the activities of the young people at Annual Conference, please contact Ang Hart at ahart@detroitconference.org.
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