CYF PAGTUKAW UG PAGMATA!

A Sunday Reflection by Jommel Picorro, WVJ CYF President

“You are a good man, with a good heart. And it’s hard for a good man to be King.”

(Words of King T’Chaka to T’Challa in the movie Black Panther)

This month of March we celebrate the Season of Lent. We recall the sacrifices of a good man. We reflect on the suffering of his good heart. We remember the King of Jews and Gentiles. It is these times that we Christians highlight the want to be a good man and to have a good heart. And even so, we often stumble on our own efforts as we find it hard to fast or give up things for a while. That’s why the Psalmist {73:26} said, “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” Halleluiah!

Another striking line in the movie was from W’Kabi and I quote, “The world is changing. Soon there will only be the conquered and the conquerors. I’d rather be the former.”

Change is inevitable. Time is indispensable. Who would you want to be, the conqueror or the conquered?

The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few (Matt. 9:37). We have a mission, God’s Mission. But do we know what it is? And in doing so, are we good enough? In the light of the season of lent, let us all together ask ourselves. How are we “Doing God’s Mission in these Changing Times”?

CYF, let us learn from what the Black Panther T’Challa said,

“Wakanda (WE) will no longer watch from the shadows. We can not. We must not. We will work to be an example of how we, as brothers and sisters on this earth, should treat each other. Now, more than ever, the illusions of division threaten our very existence. We all know the truth more connects us than separates us. But in times of crisis the wise build bridges, while the foolish build barriers. We must find a way to look after one another, as if we were one single tribe.”

CYF, #pagmata ug #pagtukaw kamo, tutok sa Ginoo dili sa tawo. Wake up. Be vigilant. Look into Jesus and not into mortals. Seek God in doing the mission. Stick to God in these changing times. Young as we are, we have a mission to do. Our efforts no matter how small can definitely contribute when we come together for a greater cause. 

Let’s talk and be heard. Let’s meet to discuss. Let’s plan to help.Let us be the one single tribe as we unite through our leaders in this 10th National Youth Assembly. 

For God’s greater glory! Kitakits!

10th NATIONAL YOUTH ASSEMBLY

10^th National Youth Assembly

Theme: “Doing Christ's Mission in these Changing Times”

Text: Mark 10:45

May 19-23, 2018, Initao, Misamis Oriental

What is National Youth Assembly?

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The National Youth Assembly is the highest governing body of the Christian Youth Fellowship (CYF) where the youth leaders gather every four years to assess, evaluate and plan for the total life and ministry of the National CYF. This gathering shall elect a new set of National CYF officers as well as to approve and promote the varied Statements of the organization with the different issues of the youth in particular and the society in general, a manifestation united and collective effort of the CYF of the entire church in all its undertakings. The National Youth Assembly will not only include business meetings but also conduct activities that will further enhance their leadership skills, fellowship and develop camaraderie while equipping each with the values and virtue of a Christian Youth as exemplified by Jesus, the head of the church. This shall be guided by the quadrennial theme “Doing God’s Mission in this Changing Time” and shall empower the young people to actively participate in the mission works in the struggles of this changing time. 

GENERAL OBJECTIVES

1. To deepen the understanding and faithfulness of the CYF on the vision, mission and goals of the church. 
2. To increase awareness and participation of the youth leaders in the holistic community ministry of the church. 
3. To encourage the youth to take meaningful, concrete and collective response in pressing social issues and concerns.
4. To further strengthen the leadership and organizing skills of the youth towards the transformation of the church and society. 

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES

1. To re-orient the youth on the principles, dynamics and program works of the UCCP. 
2. To develop deep understanding on the new quadrennial theme of the church. 
3. To inculcate in the hearts and minds of the young people their important role in doing Christ’s mission and specifically on the stewardship of His creation. 
4. To transform the youth to become committed and dedicated prophetic witnesses. 
5. To keep the youth abreast with the events in church and in the society.
6. To pass concrete and collective programs in response to societal issues and concerns that shall create an impact among the youth, the church and the society. 
7. To deliver the duly mandated responsibilities as stipulated in the CYF Constitution, Article VIII, Section 6 which provides:

1. To formulate, initiate, coordinate and support programs responsive to the needs of the members;
2. To elect the following national CYF officer as follows: the president, the secretary, the treasurer, the auditor, the program committee chairpersons; 
3. To  approve the national CYF budget; 
4. To create special committees as may be deemed necessary to implement its programs and to appoint members thereof; 
5. To propose amendments to the constitution and call a Constitutional Convention for that purpose; and 
6. To review the actions of the Executive Committee. 

EXPECTED PARTICIPANTS

The participants according to our Constitution and By-Laws Article VIII Section 4 states are the following with an allowance for guests, observers and the working committees: 

15 persons Incumbent National CYF officers

144 persons Conference presidents and two other conference representatives elected at large during the conference annual session provided that there will be equal gender representation

17 persons Corresponding Members/Observers, Guests

24 persons Working Committee

200 persons Total number of expected participants 

FLOW OF ACTIVITIES

The 10^th National Youth Assembly will engage the delegates and participants in the following activities:

PLENARIES

The business section of the Assembly shall take on the agenda of the National Youth Assembly in session, where the minutes of the previous assembly and the actions of the National Executive Committee shall be reviewed, reports coming from the leadership from the life and works of the organization through the president, the jurisdictional presidents, the program committees and even the status of its resources shall be rendered. Furthermore, plenaries shall have other items as may be deemed necessary and proper by the assembly in session. 

JURISDICTIONAL CAUCUS

This is an exercise that will enable the young leaders to appreciate the structure and dynamics of the organization. With the jurisdictional delegates, they shall have time to talk about their life and works, collation of the Ideas, best practices and to identify ways for improvements in delivering and implementing the unified Program of the National CYF.

NATIONAL SITUATIONER AND GROUP DYNAMICS

To be effective carriers of God’s goodness and love, the youth must know what is happening in the world wherein they will be sent out. The National Situationer tackles important social issues that must be addressed by the youth. This input will offer a discussion on the on-going social problems that sharpen their consciousness and develop their conscience towards strategic action.

BIBLIO-THEOLOGICAL-REFLECTION 

The Biblio-Theological-Reflection will provide the biblical grounding of the theme. The BTR will serve as a foundation to elucidate the discussions from the National Situationer. It will address to the continued struggle of becoming a part of and not a separate entity from the world as its shall journey towards its transformation for a better humanity and better society for  everyone. 

OGSM PROGRAM PLANNING

This OGSM Planning Method is the new widely used tool in the church which has been proven to be productive in a short span of time. This is a simple, direct and goal oriented methodology that encourages accountability of tasks. It shall further equip the conference leaders through the unified program planning and monitoring tool in order to help in the implementation of the program of the whole CYF, both in the local, conference and national level.

ORGANIZING WORKSHOP: CAMPUS MINISTRY

Organizing workshop is a tool in equipping youth leaders to engage in the youth organizing specially in the campus as the church ministry. This is a revamp of the olden campus ministry program of the organization which was not much appreciated among its constituents. This will also serve as an avenue to identify local CYF who are already practicing local campus ministry and to arrive at the common understanding and best practices that will highlight the ministry to the youth and to campuses, through the collective ideas and sharing of the delegates and participants.

FELLOWSHIP NIGHT WITH BATTLE OF THE BANDS

Fellowship and Battle of the bands encourage and strengthen the camaraderie of the CYF family. Battle of the bands will exhibit the talent of our youth in delivering our hymns in a new rhythm as a free musical expression of our faith. This shall create a new trend among the young people to bring back the highlights to the church hymns as they express their excellence in music through the God-given talents in music that may be translated as concrete faith expression.