West Michigan Youth travel to Berlin
A West Michigan contingent of five persons participated in the Young People’s Global Gathering Convo and Legislative Assembly in Berlin July 21-26. At the close of the Convo the group will tour and return to
Participants included:
- Katie Doyal, University UMC, East Lansing
- Nicki Holland, Clare UMC
- Ryan Minier, president of the Wesley Foundation Board at Western Michigan University
- Heather Miller, Sand Lake UMC
- Jana Lynn Almeida is the chaperone
Global Convo enabled young people to connect with each other in a world-wide dialogue. In addition to participants sharing their life experiences, struggles, gifts and realities, the legislative assembly was an opportunity to send petitions to General Conference 2012.
In an interview with R.J. Walters, editor of the Michigan Area Reporter, Jana Lynn reflected on a similar experience in South Africa four years ago: "What I witnessed there was young people from all over putting together 44 different resolutions for General Conference. They did it through translators, working with people they had never met before. They wrestled with some stuff a lot." Ryan Minier added, "More often than not the established leaders of the church are willing to give us a chance once they see what we are capable of."