Home : The Voice : December 2002  

Presbyterian Youth Connection
to Shine Like the Stars

by J. Tyler Ward II

Presbyterian Youth Connection 2003: to many people this might not mean much, but to the 500 young Presbyterians who attended the Presbyterian Youth Connection 2000 at the University of Maryland, this means a plethora of things. It means legislation, spiritual growth, workshops, energizers, parliamentary procedure, community, worship, play, reflection, contemplation, theology, Roberts Rules, and most of all, the presence of Christ!

Many of you are probably wondering, “How can all of these things be packed into a six-day event?” Well, with lots of prayerful consideration and planning.

Connection 2000 was a great success, but Connection 2003 is going to be even better. First off, it will be in Louisville, Kentucky, right here in our own Synod. One of the big differences this year is that there is an open invitation to everyone! Before, this was a delegated event and each presbytery was allotted a number of slots. This time the number of youth a presbytery can bring is unlimited. This means that as many youth who want to attend will be allowed to attend. One distinguishing mark of this event is the legislative assembly that gives youth the chance to experience the awesome process that the church uses to govern itself.

There will be three tracks to Connection 2003: Leader Development, through workshops and presbytery visioning; Legislative, through committees and a corporate assembly; and Worship and Christian Spiritual Disciplines, which will include corporate and private worship experiences, and of course a spirituality center.

The leadership that has been lined up for this event is phenomenal. Rodger Nishioka and Anna Carter Florence will be leading worship, Steve Price and Beth Watson will lead recreation, and Chip Andrus will lead the music.

This event is sure to be packed with lots of enthusiastic young Presbyterians as well as the presence of God.

There will be a preconference event for Racial/Ethnic Youth entitled “Light the World!”that will begin on July 28th and end on July 30th, just prior to the start of Connection 2003.

Delegations will begin arriving on July 30th with the Celebration of the Lord’s Supper to kick off the event. The event will conclude with the Celebration of the Lord’s Supper on August 3rd, 2003. The cost of the event is $235 plus $104 per night per room for lodging at the Galt House Hoteln in Louisville. Worship will be at the Galt House Hotel but Workshops, Committees, and the Legislative Sessions will be held at the Kentucky International Convention Center. Presbytery offices should have flyers for the event and contact information for the person in your presbytery who is the event registrar. For additional information contact Kenneth Slifer, national Event Registrar at 1-888- 728-7228 ext. 5639 or kslifer@ctr.pcusa.org. More information can be found at www.pcusa.org/youthassembly. Hope to see you there!

J. Tyler Ward II is Clerk of Session at
Graham Memorial Presbyterian Church, Whitesburg, KY;
Synod of Living Waters Representative to the
National Presbyterian Youth Ministry Council;
Member of the Presbyterian Youth Connection 2003 Design Team.