1306. National Youth Ministry Organization Legislative Assembly--The National Youth Ministry Organization Legislative Assembly shall serve as a national delegated assembly of United Methodist youth and adult workers with youth. The National Youth Ministry Organization Legislative Assembly shall be convened by the National Youth Ministry Organization Steering Committee (1307.2a and 1306.1b[3]).
1. a) Central to the objectives of the National Youth Ministry Organization Legislative Assembly shall be:
(1) To be a forum for the expression of issues vital to youth and to direct the National Youth Ministry Organization Steering Committee in the advocacy of these issues.
(2) To empower youth by supporting and communicating with youth ministry structures at both annual conference and jurisdictional levels.
(3) To support and facilitate renewal in the Church.
b) The responsibilities of the National Youth Ministry Organization Legislative Assembly shall be:
(1) To set national Youth Service Fund monetary goals.
(2) To set the policy and criteria for the selection of projects and the distribution of the national portion of the Youth Service Fund.
(3) To elect the National Youth Ministry Organization Steering Committee in accordance with 1307.2a.
(4) To initiate and support special projects which are of particular interest to youth.
(5) To make recommendations to appropriate boards and agencies of The United Methodist Church on ways to strengthen youth ministry in areas of vital concern.
(6) To support and facilitate formation of racial/ethnic youth caucuses on the annual conference, jurisdictional, and general levels of the Church.
(7) To select the National Youth Ministry Organization priority for the next four years.
2. The membership of the National Youth Ministry Organization Legislative Assembly shall be:
a) Voting Members--Three representatives from each annual conference selected by the annual conference council on youth ministry. Of those selected, two are to be youth (264.2), one of whom is the conference council on youth president or designate; and one adult, who shall be the conference youth coordinator or designate. It is strongly recommended that at least one of the conference representatives, preferably a youth, shall be a person from one of these four racial/ethnic groups: Pacific and Asian Americans, Black Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Native Americans. If the annual conference is not represented by a voting member that represents one of the four racial/ethnic groups, the adult member will sit on the floor with voice but no vote. An annual conference must have a youth present in order to exercise voting privileges. Voting members shall be members (full or preparatory) of The United Methodist Church. The youth chairpersons from each jurisdiction shall be in addition to the two youth and one adult from their annual conference.
b) Nonvoting Members--(1) Youth members of the general agencies and (2) members of the National Youth Ministry Organization Steering Committee shall have the right to participate in the National Youth Ministry Organization Legislative Assembly with voice but without vote.
3. Expenses--a) The expenses of the members of the National Youth Ministry Organization Steering Committee, with the exception of the general board and agency representatives, shall be paid from National Youth Ministry Organization funds.
b) The expenses of conference representatives shall be paid by the annual conference they represent. It is also recommended that the expense of alternates be paid by the annual conference they represent. A travel fund shall be established in order to equalize the expense of each conference.
c) The jurisdictional council on ministries or equivalent body shall provide funding for expenses for the jurisdictional youth chairperson.
d) The general agencies shall be responsible for the expenses of their youth members as well as representatives.
General Conference Webmaster: Susan Brumbaugh
PETS Creator: John Brawn
1992 Book of Discipline: ¶ 1306
1996 United Methodist General Conference