1996 Discipline ¶ 1207

¶ 1207. National Youth Ministry Organization Steering Committee--There shall be a National Youth Ministry Organization Steering Committee.

1. Membership--The National Youth Ministry Organization Steering Committee shall consist of youth and adults who are baptized or professing members of The United Methodist Church. All youth elected to the steering committee shall be at the time of their election entering into the eleventh grade or under, or their age shall be sixteen or younger. It is strongly recommended that at least one half of these youth shall be from these racial and ethnic minority groups: Asian Americans, African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Native Americans, and Pacific Islanders, so elected that each racial and ethnic minority group is represented. It is strongly recommended that at least one youth with a disability be elected. In addition, there shall be on the National Youth Ministry Organization Steering Committee one adult involved in youth ministry on the annual conference level from each jurisdiction; a bishop chosen by the Council of Bishops; two elected members (one youth and one adult) and a staff member related to youth ministry of the General Board of Discipleship; a General Board of Discipleship, Church School Publications youth editor; and one elected youth member from each of the program-related general agencies (¶ 703.5) and the General Council on Ministries, each chosen by their respective agencies. All will serve with voice and vote. Additional board or staff representatives may be added at the discretion of the steering committee.

2. Election--a) Each jurisdiction shall elect three youth and one adult worker with youth to the National Youth Ministry Organization Steering Committee, with at least one youth being a racial and ethnic minority youth (¶ 531). It is strongly recommended that the legislative assembly elect members at large so that youth with disabilities and all five racial and ethnic minority groups are represented on the steering committee. It is strongly recommended that if no racial and ethnic minority group adult is elected to the steering committee, the legislative assembly may elect a racial and ethnic minority adult at large to be a National Youth Ministry Organization Steering Committee member. It is strongly recommended that if all five racial and ethnic minority groups are not represented, the National Youth Ministry Organization Steering Committee may elect additional members at large so that all five groups are represented.

b) Any vacancy that occurs due to an unfulfilled term shall be filled as follows: (1) The jurisdictional convocation shall determine the definition of vacancy and the process for filling jurisdictional vacancies. (2) The steering committee shall fill vacancies to maintain racial and ethnic minority representation as required by [185] 2a above. (3) Youth shall be elected to fill youth vacancies, and adults shall be elected to fill vacancies in adult positions.

3. Term--The term for steering committee members (with the exception of general board and agency representatives) shall be two years.

a) Members cannot serve two consecutive terms, and they shall begin their term immediately upon adjournment of the jurisdictional convocation legislative assembly at which they were elected and shall conclude upon the adjournment of the next respective jurisdictional convocation or legislative assembly.

b) The term for board and agency representatives begins immediately following the organizational meeting of their respective board or agency and concludes at the end of the steering committee meeting following the next General Conference.

4. Responsibilities--The National Youth Ministry Organization Steering Committee shall have the responsibility:

a) To administer the national portion of the Youth Service Fund, including the selection of the national projects. It shall fulfill this responsibility according to the criteria set by the National Youth Ministry Organization Legislative Assembly.

b) To promote Youth Service Fund education throughout The United Methodist Church in cooperation with the annual conference councils on youth ministry (¶ 646).

c) To develop comprehensive agenda concerns for each National Youth Ministry Organization Legislative Assembly via a thorough and intentional survey of each conference council on youth ministry, providing an outlet for local churches to voice specific concerns for the National Youth Ministry Organization and The United Methodist Church.

d) To plan the National Youth Ministry Organization Convocation and make arrangements for the National Youth Ministry Organization Legislative Assembly.

e) To convene the National Youth Ministry Organization Legislative Assembly and to implement its decisions.

f) To recommend action goals and issues to the National Youth Ministry Organization Legislative Assembly.

g) To advocate youth concerns and participation in the Church at all levels: general, jurisdictional, conference, district, and local.

h) To call together, when necessary, groups of concerned youth to study and recommend action on vital issues.

i) To encourage participation of youth in appropriate denominational and interreligious enterprises and deliberations.

j) To recommend youth to nominating committees of general boards and agencies, considering suggestions from annual conference councils on youth ministry (¶ 646) and other appropriate youth organizations.

k) To communicate the work of National Youth Ministry Organization to the General Board of Discipleship for its information and response.

 

 

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