1307. National Youth Ministry Organization Steering Committee--There shall be a National Youth Ministry Organization Steering Committee.
1. Membership--The National Youth Ministry Organization Steering Committee shall consist of youth who are members (full or preparatory) of The United Methodist Church. It is strongly recommended that at least one-half of these youth shall be from these racial/ethnic groups: Pacific and Asian Americans, Black Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Native Americans, so elected that each racial/ethnic group is represented. In addition, there shall be on the National Youth Ministry Organization Steering Committee one adult involved in youth ministry on the annual conference level from each jurisdiction; a bishop chosen by the Council of Bishops, an elected member, and a staff member related to youth ministry of the General Board of Discipleship, and one board or staff member, with voice but not vote, from each of the following agencies (to be selected at a regular meeting of the agency): the General Board of Church and Society, the General Board of Global Ministries, the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry, the General Board of Discipleship, the Curriculum Resources Committee, the General Council on Ministries, the General Commission on Religion and Race, the General Commission on the Status and Role of Women, and the General Commission on Christian Unity and Interreligious Concerns. Additional board or staff representatives may be added at the discretion of the steering committee. All youth elected to the steering committee shall be at the time of their election entering into the eleventh grade or under or their age shall be sixteen or younger.
2. Election--a) Each jurisdiction shall elect two youth and one adult worker with youth to the National Youth Ministry Organization Steering Committee at the National Youth Ministry Organization Legislative Assembly. It is strongly recommended that the legislative assembly shall elect members at large so that all four racial and ethnic groups are represented on the National Youth Ministry Organization Steering Committee. It is strongly recommended that if no racial/ethnic group adult is elected to the National Youth Ministry Organization Steering Committee, the National Youth Ministry Organization Legislative Assembly shall elect a racial/ethnic adult at large to be a National Youth Ministry Organization Steering Committee member. Ten youth (two from each jurisdiction; it is strongly recommended that at least one of whom must be a racial/ethnic group member) shall be elected in the alternate years at the jurisdictional youth ministry convocation (632). It is strongly recommended that if all four racial/ethnic groups are not represented, the National Youth Ministry Organization Steering Committee shall elect additional members at large so that all four groups are represented on the National Youth Ministry Organization Steering Committee.
b) Any vacancy that occurs due to an unfulfilled term shall be filled as follows: (1) The jurisdictional convocation shall determine the definition of vacancy and the process for filling jurisdictional vacancies. (2) The National Youth Ministry Organization Steering Committee shall fill vacancies to maintain racial/ethnic representation as required by [014]2a above (3) Youth shall be elected to fill youth vacancies and adults shall be elected to fill vacancies in adult positions.
3. Term--The term for National Youth Ministry Organization Steering Committee members (with the exception of general board and agency representatives) shall be two years.
a) Members cannot serve two consecutive terms.
b) Members shall begin their term immediately upon adjournment of the jurisdictional convocation or National Youth Ministry Organization Legislative Assembly at which they were elected and shall conclude upon the adjournment of the next respective jurisdictional convocation or National Youth Ministry Organization Legislative Assembly.
c) The term for board and agency representatives begins immediately following the organizational meeting of their respective board or agency and concludes at the end of the National Youth Ministry Organization Steering Committee meeting following the next General Conference.
4. Responsibilities--The National Youth Ministry Organization Steering Committee shall be responsible:
a) To administer the national portion of the Youth Service Fund, including the selection of the national projects. It shall fulfill this responsibility according to the criteria set by the National Youth Ministry Organization Legislative Assembly.
b) To promote Youth Service Fund education throughout The United Methodist Church in cooperation with the annual conference councils on youth ministry (745).
c) To develop comprehensive agenda concerns for each National Youth Ministry Organization Legislative Assembly via a thorough and intentional survey of each conference Council on Youth Ministry, providing an outlet for local Churches to voice specific concerns for the National Youth Ministry Organization and The United Methodist Church.
d) To plan the National Youth Ministry Organization Convocation and make arrangements for the National Youth Ministry Organization Legislative Assembly.
e) To convene the National Youth Ministry Organization Legislative Assembly and to implement its decisions.
f) To recommend action goals and issues to the National Youth Ministry Organization Legislative Assembly.
g) To advocate youth concerns and participation in the Church at all levels: general, jurisdictional, conference, district, and local.
h) To call together, when necessary, groups of concerned youth to study and recommend action on vital issues.
i) To encourage participation of youth in appropriate denominational and interreligious enterprises and deliberations.
j) To recommend youth to nominating committees of general boards and agencies, considering suggestions from annual conference councils on youth ministry (745) and other appropriate youth organizations.
k) To communicate the work of National Youth Ministry Organization to the General Board of Discipleship for its information and response.
General Conference Webmaster: Susan Brumbaugh
PETS Creator: John Brawn
1992 Book of Discipline: ¶ 1307
1996 United Methodist General Conference