Youth

Description

The vision of The Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops' Committee for Youth is to recognize, understand, strengthen, and unify the numerous youth ministry efforts across America to establish a model of Orthodox youth and family formation which will lead, with one voice, young people to salvation through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

In executing this vision, the Committee of Youth will complete tasks assigned by the Assembly of Bishops, including i) identifying and cataloging all jurisdictional youth programs (camps, age specific groups, etc.); ii) identifying and cataloging all joint youth programs (e.g. OCF); and iii) developing models for coordinating youth-oriented activities and programs that both minimize duplication and maximize the participation of young people in the life of the Church.

The Committee has also been tasked to i) gather information from parishes, priests, youth workers, parents, and youth to establish the needs of the faithful with regard to youth formation, and ii) research existing Orthodox Christian resources on youth formation, in order to begin work on developing a new cohesive model for youth formation from birth to adulthood.

Membership

Bp. Thomas (AOCA) - Chairman
Metropolitan Gregory (ACROD)

Committee Liaison

Eric Namee, Esq.

Consultants

Bishop Andrei (OCA)
Fr. Nicholas Belcher
Natalie Kapeluck Nixon
Dr. Christopher Krampe
Dn. Mark O’Dell, Facilitator
Khalil Samara

Terms of Reference

What has been accomplished

  • A listing of all Orthodox youth and college-age programs (diocesan and national) in the United States, with reference to their program descriptions
  • Creation of characteristics to describe and compare the different programs (camps, retreats, youth groups, college groups, mission outreach, church schools and educational materials, etc.)
  • A comparison of youth and college-age programs with respect to the above characteristics
  • Development of models for coordinating among programs that fall within the same comparative characteristics
  • Identification of possible amalgamation of redundant/duplicative programs

What is to be accomplished

  • Identify the appropriate tools and resources that are needed to ensure proper spiritual formation of our Orthodox youth
  • From the identification of tools noted above, develop a cohesive model of youth formation to help guide parish youth formation programs
  • Solicitate Jurisdictional sponsorship of nationwide and regional youth events

How it is to be accomplished

  • Conduct research into forming an Orthodox spiritual foundation for our youth, including surveys to identify 1) existing tools 2) resources, and 3) unfulfilled needs
    • This work will be coordinated by the Jurisdictional Youth Directors and will include: o Interviewing interested hierarchs, priests, and laypeople to begin to define a sustainable model of Youth Formation
    • Interviewing individuals responsible for youth and college-age programs and well-known national programs (e.g. OCF) to identify tools and methods that have been successful in spiritually forming our youth
    • Inventorying and cataloguing Orthodox Spiritual Formation efforts now underway within our jurisdictions, and
    • Making available to all Orthodox jurisdictions Youth Formation tools. The tools will be made available by posting on the Jurisdiction Youth Directors’ website, as well as on other jurisdictional websites
  • Based on its work above, the Jurisdictional Youth Directors will draft a paper for the Assembly’s consideration which outlines a sustainable Youth Formation model for use at the parish level
  • Determine and update regularly, the timetable for accomplishment of the Committee’s objectives
  • Update the Assembly of Bishops annually of the Committee’s progress

With whom it is to be accomplished

  • The responsible parties for youth and college-age programs within each jurisdiction
  • The responsible parties for national programs