Youth Ministries

“Thank God, that you are being guided along a rough road. In it you get to know God’s

Greatness and grace” (Charles Gadon Spurgem)

 In our daily activities we encounter both joyful moments and hardships. Therefore the question arises-“Oh, Lord, why me?” It is difficult for us to realize, that the road of life is full of pits. We are walking along a bumpy road, but it is interesting and colorful to us because of that. Even though we experience hardships, maybe we even doubt sometimes, but do not stop believing.

Youth ministries are also going along a changeable road and it is not always smooth. The biggest problem today is the lack of the youth leaders, the people capable of organizing evangelization, projective and occupational activities by cooperating with youth groups. I want to rejoice in new tendencies, which appeared in the youth ministries. That is the development of engagement of the youth not only inside the church, but in other organizations as well. The cooperation with old people’s homes, children’s care homes, charity and support funds and implementation of preventive programs are being carried out. Therefore I can state that we evangelize not only the youth, but their families as well.

A short review on the Youth activities:

2010 (from April):

In summer time all the youth of the UMCL had a holiday, therefore we didn’t have youth meetings.

·      The youth of the UMCL celebrated Holy Easter, by greeting their congregations. Programs, gifts were made for them.

·      May 1^st the youth from Kaunas and Eiguliai UMCs had a spring outing together with their family members, in which they could practice their canoeing skills.

·      The ministry of the youth in the actions of the Food Bank in different cities.

·      On May 15^th Kaunas (Šančiai) had a Community Day organized, where the youth from Vilnius, Kaunas and Eiguliai participated. They prepared a program, they lead the program, took an active part in the orientation committee.

·      In June we had a “friendly dinner” in Pilviškiai UMC, where the youth came together with their families.

·      On June 21-23 we had a UMCL children’s camp- “The Market of Jerusalem”, where the youth voluntarily helped the leaders of the camp.

·      In June we had “Wesley Days” (labor camp).

·      On July 5-7 Kaunas UMC in cooperation with charity and support fund “Sėkmės žingsniai“ organized  a crafts and art camp for the families “When the sea is knee deep”.

·      In August they took part in Pilviškiai and Kybartai family camp.

·      In August there was a preventive camp, where the youth from Kaunas UMC, the youth from Children’s Care home “Atžalynas”  and the families, having  problems of addiction participated.

·      In the end of August Biržai UMC organized the celebration of the beginning of the school year.

·      In August they took part in the trip to Taize (France).

·      In September the youth of Kaunas UMC took part in the leader training seminar on prevention: ”Say ”no” to drugs and violence” and went on a canoe trip down the river Nemunas.

·      In October the youth of Biržai UMC had a trip to the Water Park.

·      In October we participated in the festival of evangelization in Vilnius.

·      In December the youth participated in Christmas events. The youth of Kaunas UMC went to “Bajorkiemis”, where they had a program and the youth of Kybartai had a festive dinner in a café.

2011 (until March)

·      In January the coordinator of the Youth activities took part in an international ecumenical conference.

·      On January 15^th there was a conference on the work of “Wesley camp”, conducted through Skype.

·      On February 13^th the youth of Kaunas UMC congratulated the congregation on St. Valentine’s Day.

·      On February 12-22 a missionary group from the United Methodist Church in England visited with their program for the youth and they also visited the congregations in Biržai, Panevėžys, Pilviškiai, Kybartai, Šiauliai, Pačeriaukštė and Kybartai and Tauragė children’s care homes.

·      On February 16^th the seminar for youth leaders and the people, working with the youth was held.

The youth of Vilnius, Kybartai, Kaunas, Ukmergė, Biržai have regular youth meetings. In Pilviškiai, Tauragė, Ukmergė, Šiauliai UMCs thre are no youth meetings due to the lack of the youth. The youth of Šveicarija and Eiguliai UMCs add to the events, organized by Kaunas UMC.

The cooperation of the Youth Ministries of the UMCL with the UMCs abroad

·      “Wesley camp”- every year the youth of the UMCL go the labor camp “Wesley Camp” in Latvia.

·      On July 14-21 there was an international youth conference on evangelization in Korea. There the ministry of the youth of the UMCL was presented to the youth representatives of the United Methodist Church all over the world.

·      Project “Caravan”. One youth traveled around the USA together with the other youth from Europe, visiting Methodist churches.

·      In September the projects arranged by the youth of the UMCL were presented in the meeting of the workers of the UMC in Italy.

·      The Council of the UMC youth of Europe.

·      In October at the meeting of the North European Youth Council of the UMC in Ireland the ministry of the Youth of the UMCL was presented.

·      The communication with the youth leaders of Methodist churches in Korea, Estonia and Latvia is being maintained.

Future plans:

·      To search for the leaders, capable of working with youth groups in their churches.

·      To encourage the youth of the UMCL to consistently share the moments of their activities in the District newsletter “Grandis” and on the website www.jmb.lt.

·      The planning of Krisalis.

·      The summer youth camp of the UMCL.

·      To find the possibility of visiting youth groups of UMCL at least once a year.

·      To coordinate so that the youth of the UMCL could independently work in “Wesley camp”. It is planned that this year Kamile and Emilis will go to Latvia.

·      To add to the planning of the project “Caravan”.

·      In 2011 to take part in the youth camp of the united Methodists, which will be organized in the site of Wesley camp.

·      In September 2011 to represent the youth of the UMCL in the North European Youth Council.

·      In 2012 to take part in the international Methodists’ Youth Days in Poland.

 To get more information about European youth meeting 2011 and about Methodist youth activities click here

Youth is the most beautiful and often the best time in a person’s life. It is full of emotions, searching and discoveries, unforgettable moments and impressions. Youth passes like a short instant, but leaves a significant trace in the life of the individual.

Sincere thanks to: pastors, youth leaders, people, working with the youth, the coordinators of children’s ministries and Humanitarian Aid ministries, partners from abroad, the organization “Gyvenimo vartai” for their cooperation, help in youth ministry, a wonderful time spent together, cherishing spiritual values in the hearts of the youth of the UMCL.

May God bless your ministries.

 Laurijana Budzinauskaitė

Coordinator of Youth Ministries of the UMCL