by Rosita N’Dikwe

Since I began working at LMC over two years ago, one of my tasks has been to focus on LMC youth and those leading them. Leading youth has always been hard, yet rewarding work, and somehow it seems to be getting harder—COVID-19, social media, etc. Statements like “the youth are the future of the church,” and “we need to be reaching the youth,” are commonly heard in churches, denominational meetings, Christian media, and in conversations among Christians. 

LMC is a Spirit-led movement, which means we need to wait for the Spirit to lead—quite possibly in new directions. Seeking the Spirit’s guidance, the group gathered for prayer and sought direction on “next steps.”  The above statements were among those used as a starting point to guide our prayer and discussion as a small group. Together, we sought to form a vision on how LMC can move forward to help support those leading the youth who may feel alone, are unsure where to turn for support, or are looking for new approaches for their youth group. Additionally, we asked what opportunities are being facilitated by LMC to help build connections between youth across congregations and the wider church?  

In February of this year, the first step came to pass when over thirty individuals from around LMC who work with youth gathered for a weekend retreat—a time of resourcing, restoration, connection, and collaboration—at the MCC Welcoming Place in Akron, PA. The feedback from the event was overwhelmingly positive. There is a vision to provide future opportunities (both in person and virtually) for equipping those leading the youth. Additionally, in conjunction with the Assembly next year and every year it is held, there will be a conference-wide youth gathering. (Please stay tuned for more details!) I look forward to the other opportunities that will occur as we continue to be faithful, seek the Spirit’s guidance, and respond in faith.