Prayer - Petition & Praise

Nile Union Academy: About a month ago, the Adventist school in Cairo, Egypt, experienced two very unfortunate tragedies involving several students. Please lift up this academic institution and its students & families in your prayers.

Joplin, Missouri Tornado: On May 22, another tornado struck the southern United States, this time with very little warning, and at a very high magnitude. Let us remember those affected.

Allan Williamson: The NAD Southern Union Director has been undergoing treatment for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (non-Hodgkins) and is already noticing improvements. He is praising God that there is no cancer but appreciates continued prayer.

Yoselin Perez Ramirez: A student at Montemorelos Adventist University in Mexico, the 20-year-old died of gunshot wounds after an attempted kidnapping. Please remember her family and friends in your prayers. More info: Visit the IAD Website.

Personnel Changes

Benjamin Lundquist: In addition to his ministry as Youth Pastor of Camelback Church, Benjamin has begun serving as the Young Adult Director for the Arizona Conference.

David Smith: After serving as the president of Union College for the past thirteen years, David has accepted a call to be the Senior Pastor of the Collegedale Church on the campus of Southern Adventist University.

Philip Brown: The Newbold College Board has appointed Philip as the new Principal at Newbold College in England. He will be leaving his position as Vice-President of Avondale College in Austrailia.

Kelsey Curnutt: Joining our CYE staff, Kelsey will be taking the place of Derrick Nelson, who is moving to Loma Linda for dental school. She will be assisting with our COR, CWM & WeCare ministries.

Jose Bourget: On July 1, Jose will transition from his role as the CYE Assistant Director into a position as an Associate Pastor at Pioneer Memorial Church, serving as the Andrews University Chaplain for Outreach.

Ministry Seekers

Geert Tap: Has 14 years of experience working in a private multi-national college and is fluent in English and Dutch. Interested in pastoring, chaplaincy, or leading worship, he is seeking a challenge. More info: Contact Geert Tap.

Mike Wiley: Seeking a ministry position in education. With 7 years of Chaplain/Bible Teacher experience, Mike is looking for a position at an academy. More info: Contact Mike Wiley.

Ministry Openings

College Heights: SDA church in Lacombe, Alberta, Canada is seeking an energetic pastor who is passionate about young people for a youth pastor position. The position focuses on ages 0-15, Pathfinders & Kids-In-Discipleship. More info: Contact Pastor Ron Sydenham.

Allegheny East Conference: Requesting qualified applicants for principal positions available at Baltimore, Calvary & Sharon Temple Adventist Schools. More info: Contact Elaine Allston.

Youth Bible Worker: Loma Linda Chinese SDA Church is seeking a creative, out-going and flexible Youth Bible Worker with Chinese cultural familiarity for one year, with possible extension. More info: Contact Pastor Matthew Yuen at 909-478-3939.

Southern New England Conference: Associate Youth Director opening. This position mainly focuses on family, singles, young adults, collegiate, and camp meeting. More info: Contact Josue Feliciano at (978) 365-4551 ext.618.

Adventist Resources

Tornado Relief: As an effort to provide much needed supplies for the survivors of the recent tornado disasters, Adventist Community Services (ACS) is seeking your support. Visit their website to find out how you can help. More info: Visit CommunityServices.org.

Intersection: Your Faith, Your World: Produced by the Communication Department of the General Conference of SDA's, this is a 30-minute weekly TV broadcast, discussing topics that affect every Christian's life, and presenting an SDA take on current issues. More info: Visit Intersection.Adventist.org.

EveryStudent.com: A great new website about the basics - real questions that students face today with honest Biblical answers. More info: Visit EveryStudent.com.

Adventist Recovery Ministries: A Christ-centered 12 step recovery program for addictions. This program works because, unlike most programs, it is designed to provide ongoing help. More info: Contact Ray Nelson, or visit AdventistRecovery.org.

Non-Denominational Resources

Christianity & the Tooth Fairy: A UCLA Law professor questions an Oxford mathmetician on the claims of Jesus. Check out this recent talk, along with many more discussions and presentations. More info: Visit Veritas.org.

The Parent Link Newsletter: A customizable newsletter resource, providing content each month to keep parents informed and make communication easy and effective for both the parents and youth leaders. More info: Visit TheParentLink.com.

The Winter of Our Disconnect:  Susan Maushart realized her three teenagers were consumed with digital media, so she took drastic steps to get them off the grid. In her book, she describes her six-month experiment of no electronic devices at home. More info: Visit us.PenguinGroup.com.

KidUnique: Explore the truths, principles & practices that youth ministry veteran, Dan Webster, has shared with parents and leaders across the country through this engaging DVD training resource. More info: Visit SimplyYouthMinistry.com.

The Disconnect: Bridging the Youth Pastor & Senior Pastor Gap: This unique resource functions like a bridge, giving youth leaders practical ways to reconnect and reenergize this crucial ministry relationship. More info: SimplyYouthMinistry.com.

Research

As a partner with Roger Dudley and the Institute of Church Ministry, CYE features ICM's research in the area of youth and young adult ministry.

WHAT TO DO WITH LIFE STYLE STANDARDS: A RESPONSE

In the May issue of this newsletter, I reported on research that revealed that while Adventist young adults heavily supported some of the perceived Adventist life-style standards, and the majority agreed with a number of others, a third or less agreed with four of them—jewelry, rock music, dancing, and attendance at movie theatres in descending order. I then commented that “If these last four standards really do have a Biblical base, and if they continue to be relevant to Adventism, then the church, and especially youth ministry leaders, will need to find ways through study and dialog—including this age group—to lead to a commitment on the part of young adults to these standards. Otherwise, they should be removed from the list, for standards that are proclaimed but not practiced only lead to charges of hypocrisy.”

I am gratified that youth ministry professionals are not only reading the newsletter, but are grappling with the issues, and I was delighted to hear from you.

However, I was also surprised that some readers thought I was advocating that the church drop standards for the reason that many youth are ignoring them. That was not in my mind at all. I had two purposes. First, to report what a number of research studies have shown as a factual reporter. Those of us who care about youth need to know what the situation is rather than what we wish it would be.

Secondly, I was suggesting that, rather than simply wring our hands, we should begin a process of study and education. We need groups of ministry professionals and the young adults themselves to explore the bases for these standards. Are they defensible on sound Biblical grounds? If we decide they are, then we must construct a reasonable explanation for each one. We must be prepared to hold conferences and seminars—to prepare materials that will be convincing. Old standard answers will not do.

If we drop any standards, it should be, not because they are not being followed, but because we cannot construct a sound Biblical basis for them. To me, the responses to the article are a good sign that we may be ready to start some serious discussions. Our behaviors should be based on Bible teachings, not Victorian customs or traditional teachings, no matter how hallowed they may be with age.

Roger Dudley, ICM Director

Adventist National/International Events

Training for Disaster Response Volunteers: Adventist Community Services (ACS) offers training for those interested in volunteering with disaster response. These training workshops take place at various times & locations. More info: Visit CommunityServices.org.

Francophone Convention for Youth: June 1-5, 2011, in Montreal, Canada. Intended to gather young adults and their leaders coming from all French territories across the world. More info: Contact Hébert Valiamé, Quebec Conference Youth Director. (Sponsored by the GC, NAD & Church of Canada)

BC Campus Ministries Conference: June 10-12, 2011, in Victoria, British Columbia. Focused on the theme "Turn Out For Christ," this will be a weekend of fellowship and spiritual growth for young adults. More info: Contact Brian Wahl, BC Youth & Young Adult Director.

L.E.A.D.S.: July 6-10, 2011, in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Leadership Education And Development Seminar offers an intensive five-day training program to students,leaders, and pastors involved in secular campus ministry. More info: Visit CampusHope.com. (Sponsored by Michigan Conference)

Maranatha Summer Youth Projects: July 12 - August 9, 2011, in various locations. Maranatha Volunteers International coordinates three projects for young people this summer, with opportunities to build, bond and grow. More info: Visit Maranatha.org, or call (916) 774-7700.

Jesus Loves Jeans: July 22-23, 2011, Live from Nashville, Tennessee. As part of Net 2011, JLJ is a youth discipleship initiative that is transforming thousands of youth into disciples of Jesus. Training materials available. More info: Visit Host.PropheciesDecoded.com/Resources. (Sponsored by the North American Division)

Festival of the Laity 2011: September 7-10, 2011, in Dallas, Texas. Training provided by the NAD Youth Department. More info: Visit the event page, or call (301) 680-6430. (Sponsored by the North American Division)

180 Symposium: October 18-20, 2011, in Berrien Springs, Michigan. Addressing the most pressing youth/young adult issues in Adventism, the 180 Symposium will be focusing this year on "Reaching the 2nd & 3rd Generation Youth & Young Adults." More info: Visit AdventistYouth.org/180. (Sponsored by CYE & the Lake Union Conference Youth Department)

Youth Leadership Development: October 21-23, 2011, Berrien Springs, Michigan. Over 50 hours of youth and young adult ministry seminars by specialist trainers. Master Guide, children's ministry, and many other tracks are available. More info: Visit AdventistYouth.org/yld. (Sponsored by the Lake Union Conference & CYE)

the One project: October 31 - November 1, 2011, in Helsinki, Finland. Celebrating the supremacy of Jesus in the Seventh-day Adventist Church. More info: Contact Japhet De Oliveira, or visit the1project.org.

Cruise With a Mission 2011: December 11-18, 2011, from Tampa, Florida. Join the launch of the "Family Edition" in addition to their young adult annual cruise and mission trip in one! More info: Contact Jose Bourget or visit AdventistYouth.org/cwm. (Sponsored by CYE & the Lake Union Conference)

the One project: February 13-14, 2012, in Seattle, Washington. Celebrating the supremacy of Jesus in the Seventh-day Adventist Church. More info: Contact Japhet De Oliveira, or visit the1project.org.

Non-Denominational Events

Echo 2011: July 27-29, 2011, in Dallas, Texas. An event for artists, geeks, and storytellers who use their gifts and passions to communicate the gospel. More info: Visit EchoConference.com.

Atlanta Fest: June 15-18, 2011, in Atlanta, Georgia. Held in Stone Mountain Park, Atlanta Fest Christian Music Festival will feature concerts by numerous Christian music artists. More info: Visit AtlantaFest.com.

Live It!: July 20-24, 2011, at Indiana Wesleyan University in Marion, Indiana. Live It! combines experiential worship and track programming, creating a spiritual catalyst for high school youth to live their unique lives for Christ. More info: Visit youthunlimited.org/LiveIt.

MOVE Summer 2011: A 5-day high-school-only summer event helping you mobilize and equip your students for Kingdom impact. This event takes place at various dates and locations this summer. More info: Visit CIY.com/MOVE.

D6 Conference: September 21-23, 2011, in Dallas, Texas. Join 2,000+ leaders, ministers, volunteers, and parents as they discuss and collaborate on what's NEXT in the strategic integration of youth ministry and generational discipleship. More info: Visit D6Conference.com.

Planet Wisdom: Through an in-depth look at God's specific attributes, Planet Wisdom events provide an experience for students to discover practical ways they can change the world by becoming more like Him. Event locations and dates vary. More info: Visit PlanetWisdom.com, or call (888) 346-4179.

Acquire the Fire: 27 hours set apart to give your teens a life-transforming experience with Christ. ATF tours occur periodically throughout the year at various locations. More info: Visit ATFTour.com.

Dare2Share: The 2010-2011 "un" Tour, taking place in various locations on various dates, provides training conferences to inspire, mobilize and prepare teens to share Jesus with their friends. More info: Visit dare2share.org/untour.

Lifetree Adventures Peru: You're needed in Peru. Provide meaningful service, grow in your faith & return home with fascinating stories. Mission trips take place at various times throughout this summer. More info: Visit LifetreeAdventures.com.

Spanish Resources & Events

Hispanic Scholarship Fund: This NAD fund is available for masters and doctoral level students. The NAD has set aside $300,000 in scholarship monies to give to qualified applicants. More info: Visit the NAD Treasury Dept. Resource page.

Pathfinder Camporees

Euro-Africa Division: August 1-8, 2011, Bassano Romano, Roma, Italy. Theme: "Faith Adventure - Walking With Paul." More info: Visit the EUD Camporee website.

Lake Union: September 15-18, 2011, at the Berrien Springs Fairgrounds. The theme will be "Finish Strong." More info: Contact Craig Harris, LUC Camporee Director, at charris@misda.org or (616) 834-2372, or visit the LUC Camporee website.

Miscellaneous

Girls & Social Networking: According to a survey done by Girl Scout Research Institute in February, 2011,

• 56% of girls agree that social networks help them feel closer and more connected to their friends.
• In general, girls downplay several positive characteristics of themselves online, like their intelligence and efforts to be a good influence.
• 52% of girls have gotten involved in causes they care about through a social network.
• In general, girls with low self-esteem are more likely to say their online image doesn't match their in-person image. They are also more likely to report negative experiences on social network sites.
  

(Source: Girl Scout Research Institute 9 Feb 2011)

Oregon Conference 180 Symposium: Oregon Conference leaders are calling young adults to come together quarterly to help the leaders understand what they can do to make "church" relevant for this generation. Check out the May 9, 2011, Oregon Conference 180 Symposium Podcast.

Adventist Growth Boosted by Immigrants: In his article, John Dart addresses the recent 4.3% jump in membership in the SDA Church, due to "the influx of immigrants from countries where the church's missions have enjoyed great success." To read the article, visit ChristianCentury.com.

The Gap Year Experience: Harvard's letter of admission strongly recommends that students consider a gap year (a year away from formal education before college). Why? Research indicates that:

• About 30% of Freshmen never see their Sophomore year.
• Only 35% of students graduate in four years.
• Many students are simply burned out after 12 years in the classroom.
• On average, it takes more than 6 years for US students to earn a four-year degree.

(Source: ACF Today May 2011)

Traverse: A new gap year ministry in Colorado that provides summer and full gap year experiences for recent high school graduates that cultivate maturity, develop skills and help them discover purpose and direction. More info: Visit TraverseGapYear.com.

Impact Project May 2011: 50 middle school students from Thunderbird Christian Elementary School and the Holbrook Indian School joined forces for two days to help the Barela family in the Holbrook, AZ community. View their project video.

Young Adults Getting Fat at Church: A recent study shows that young adults who regularly attend religious activities are 50% more likely to become obese when they reach middle age than their non-religious peers. Read the article. (Source: Adventist Review 24 March 2011)