National Youth Cabinet meets, announces theme for NYC 2014.

Photo by Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford

The National Youth Cabinet began planning for NYC 2014 at a weekend meeting at the church's General Offices in Elgin, Ill., in mid-February.

A theme and theme scripture have been chosen for the National Youth Conference (NYC) to be held July 19-24, 2014, on the campus of Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colo. The announcement came out of a meeting of the Church of the Brethren’s National Youth Cabinet this past weekend at the denomination’s General Offices in Elgin, Ill.

The NYC theme for 2014 will be “Called by Christ, Blessed for the Journey Together,” inspired by Ephesians 4:1-7. The cabinet also began planning the outlines of the conference including beginning ideas for an overall schedule, service projects, special offerings, leadership, and more. The meeting included times for prayer and meditation each day, and a time of worship on Sunday morning.

The cabinet meeting included the three NYC coordinators and staff member Becky Ullom Naugle, who directs Youth and Young Adult Ministry, along with several high school-age youth and adult advisors from across the denomination:

• NYC coordinator Katie Cummings, of Summit Church of the Brethren in Bridgewater, Va., who is currently in Brethren Volunteer Service as an assistant workcamp coordinator.

• Emmett Eldred of Middle Pennsylvania District.

• Brittany Fourman of Southern Ohio District.

• Adult advisor Rhonda Pittman Gingrich of Northern Plains District.

• NYC coordinator Tim Heishman, currently attending North Baltimore Mennonite Church during a year of voluntary service there.

• Adult advisor Dennis Lohr of Atlantic Northeast District.

• NYC coordinator Sarah Neher, a senior at McPherson (Kan.) College who plans to graduate in May with a degree in biology education.

• Sarandon Smith of Atlantic Northeast District.

• Sarah Ullom-Minnich of Western Plains District.

• Kerrick van Asselt of Western Plains District.

• Zander Willoughby of Michigan District.

NYC is for youth who have completed ninth grade through one year of college (at the time of the conference) along with their adult advisors who must be at least 22 years old or older. Church youth groups are required to send at least one advisor for every seven youth, and to send a female advisor to accompany female youth and a male advisor to accompany male youth. More about NYC 2014 will be posted at www.brethren.org/yya/nyc as information becomes available. For questions, contact the Youth and Young Adult Ministry office at 800-323-8039 ext. 385 or cobyouth@brethren.org.

Source: 2/21/2013 Newsline