The Lake Union is fortunate to have an abundance of resources and expertise available through the youth ministries department. Our coordinator is Ron Whitehead, who also is the Center for Youth Evangelism executive director, Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary youth ministry assistant professor, Andrews University assistant to the president for spiritual life, and International Camporee executive director.
Youth ministry activities include the 2005 Pathfinder evangelism trip to Ghana, West Africa, with 49 evangelists distributing 500,000 pieces of literature. Through their ministry, led by the Holy Spirit, over 700 people were baptized. Following Hurricane Katrina, hundreds of Lake Union youth and young adults responded through organized efforts that will continue until June 2006. For information on how you can participate, visit website: www.cywecare.org.
Lake Union youth ministries also provides Union Pathfinder camporees. The coordinator for the next event is Terry Dodge, Michigan Conference Pathfinder director. For information, contact him by e-mail at: tdodge@misda.org; or call (517) 316-1500.
Training events provided by youth ministries include Giraffe University, a special leadership training event designed for high school youth leadership. For more information, contact Jeff Warda at (269) 471-8380 or (800) Youth2U.
Each October, Pathfinder leadership training is held at the Union office. Each spring, music and worship training takes place on the Andrews University campus. The National Pathfinder Bible Achievement Awards (Bible Bowls) are an annual event. Twice each year, youth ministries hosts a youth advisory for youth directors to come together for prayer and to coordinate plans for the Lake Union.
The most effective annual youth evangelism events in the Lake Union are the summer camp programs. The Lake Union has a presence at each summer camp and gives support to the camping staff and the camp program. This past summer there were over 600 decisions for baptism and over 700 decisions for Christ through our summer camp programs.
Gary Burns is the Lake Union Conference communication director and Lake Union Herald editor.
