news article
Do Something this year with CCYM
August 19, 2015 / By Katie Shumway*
The Conference Council on Youth Ministry (CCYM) has been hard at work preparing for the events of the upcoming year. With two Fall Gatherings and our largest event of the year, UP!WORD 2016, there is a lot to be done.
Spending a week in June at the Asbury Camp & Retreat Center in Perry, the CCYM learned about being disciples of God, and in doing so, came up with this year’s theme: Do Something: Disciple’s Edition. Our theme, this year, corresponds with last year’s: Searching God. Now that we have found God, and God has found us, it is our job as Christians to do something.
Josh Daley, a CCYM member in the Adirondack District, shared his thoughts on the theme:
“Do Something means to me that we need to spread God’s flame, and it should always start right now instead of procrastinating until we eventually do nothing; the moment something can be done, do it! If someone can be helped, help them. If someone can be taught, teach them. If God wants you to Do Something, do it, right now! In a sea of people who don’t know of God’s love, we as Christians can’t just sit still, like we all do so much of the time. We need to say something and take the persecution. Jesus did. There wasn’t one thing He did that He wasn’t persecuted by someone for, and look at what a difference He made. If God did something through His son, as disciples we should do something, too. Right now. Always. The rest of your life starts right now, and it’s always time to Do Something. God’s word and burning love needs to be worshipped and spread to all people, and that’s why we need to Do Something, right now.”
The new CCYM co-chairs and team chairs for 2015-2016 are:
Emily Allen – CCYM co-chair
Maya Smith – CCYM co-chair
Katie Shumway – CCYM secretary and PPP Team chair
Johnny Church – YSF educator
Emily Lasher – Worship Team chair
Elyse Muder – GO Team chair
See you at our upcoming events, where we will learn about being Christians who don’t just listen to God’s word, but Christians who take action. Mark your calendars for the Fall Gathering East, Nov. 13-14 at Schenectady First UMC; Fall Gathering West Nov. 20-21 at Rochester’s Aldersgate UMC; and our largest event of the year, UP!WORD 2016, where hundreds of youth will worship together April 22-24, 2016 in Liverpool at the Holiday Inn. The CCYM has planned to make this year the best one yet!
*Katie Shumway is the CCYM secretary and PPP Team chair.