The Words of the Read Family
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The Words of the Read Family |
Dear all,
Youth Ministry would like to greet all the families and communities around the UK and wish you well in all that you are doing. We are already well into the start of a new academic year for our youth and are sure you have already built up a certain momentum in the ventures you are currently focusing on, whether it be school, university studies, work or homemaking. Youth Ministry would just like to take this opportunity to share with you the basic structure of the department, those who are involved and their responsibilities, the basic plan for the autumn period, dates for upcoming events and some of the hopes and goals for this academic year. We hope to have your support throughout the year to come.
This year, unlike previously, will have a slightly different structure. Instead of having the one UK Youth Leader, sharing in fulfilling that role, there will be a trinity of part-timers, Sean Greaves, Ruth Johnson and Kenneth Read. Supporting them will be two committees, though it is not strictly divided and we are all supporting both areas, one will be focused on HARP and the other CARP. Kenneth Read will continue on in his role leading HARP, supported by Ruth Johnson, Kenta Barrett, Kathleen Moloney and Lisa Hayashi. Sean Greaves will be sharing in leading the CARP committee alongside Christopher Moloney and Keishin Barrett. We hope to work in a more organic way with both committees being more connected and in supporting one another, focused on the goal of educating all the youth of our movement and helping to connect them to the vision of our True Parents.
Each person within the committee will have their own focus. Kenneth, Sean and Ruth will be sharing the role of representing the UK Unification Movement Youth on the national and European levels in regard to meetings, communication, taking personal care of youth ministry staff, managing youth ministry staff, being responsible for ensuring tasks of HARP and CARP committees are fulfilled effectively and making final decisions on educational direction and focus for monthly services, workshops, and other youth environments and strategies.
Although we have committee members associated more with either HARP or CARP, we would like to work in a way in which both groups are aware and supportive of the other when fulfilling their roles. Both Keishin and Lisa will be taking care of things more on the secretarial side within the committees. In addition Lisa, supported by Kayo Hayashi (HARP's previous finance officer), will be the financial officer for both committees. Kenta Barrett will be focused more on the creative and educational side. Chris Moloney will be focused on general affairs and logistics, supported by Kathleen Moloney who will also be supporting Kenta creatively, while continuing her job leading worship with the Music Ministry in Head Quarters church.
Up until January our basic plans of action are, firstly, to continue to organize and develop both HARP and CARP services on the last Sunday of each month. The HARP service as of this academic year will be starting at 2 pm and the CARP service at 5 pm (or possibly 4 pm tbc) each month.
Secondly, winter workshops will also be prepared and organized for late December.
Thirdly, we seek to build a relationship with all the regions in UK by connecting with youth pastors and youth representatives. Ultimately we'd like to start the organic development of a system that can run smoothly for the future so that we may avoid stressful transitions each year and can essentially set up an environment where time can be used effectively to focus on raising, educating, caring and empowering the youth of our movement.
We have a number of goals we hope to accomplish by the start of the next academic year.
We want to have made good connections regionally with all the youth in the UK through Pastors, Youth Pastors and/or regional representatives, in the hope that each region can feel supported to organize regional activities and education, in a way that fits the circumstance of that region (considering the number of youth and the space or venues available).
Also we want to look into developing a new tithing system for the youth. We also hope to be well on the way to developing summer projects for youth to take part in that can really inspire them for the next academic year.
Finally we hope to have developed an overall good working system that can be passed on easily at the start of the next academic year and also be expanded upon based on this year's foundation.
As Youth Ministry for the UK, our role is to support each region, allowing all HARP and CARP members an opportunity to develop their connection to the greater church community, True Parents and, ultimately, to God. We pray that we, as Youth Ministry, can contribute, through our sincere efforts, to the wider providence, to the spiritual lives of each individual in HARP and CARP, and help the Youth of our community to inherit and continue the responsibilities of our movement.
Yours Sincerely,
Kenneth Read
Youth Ministry