JourneyOnline
To celebrate Queensland Youth Week, JourneyOnline speaks to Noah Kim, Next Generation Leadership Project Officer about Next Gen Arise, a Synod initiative to support young people to develop leadership, build networks and worship cooperatively.
What is Next Gen Arise?
Next Gen Arise is a Synod’s initiative to support young people to develop leadership, build networks and corporately worship. It is committed to living out a beautiful vision of the Uniting Church family to be a culturally diverse church and empower the next generation. We believe that we are on a journey of reaching a God-given goal to develop disciple makers (leaders) who can inspire a movement of young people from all nations to passionately follow Jesus, selflessly build each other up, faithfully take places of leadership in the church and beyond, and fearlessly change the world!
What have been some of the highlights in the project to date?
This project is led by a group of young leaders from different churches in Brisbane. It is inspired, shaped and formed by their love for God and others and their passion for the church and community. Although we are thrilled at each of our combined worship gatherings to see a couple of hundreds of young people worshiping in a big crowd, what really blesses us is when we hear the stories of how God is working in the lives of individuals in small group settings and over fellowship time at Next Gen Arise gatherings.
How can people become involved?
You can find us on Facebook page by simply typing in “Next Gen Arise” and it provides all upcoming event and gathering’s information that you need to know. Also, you can write us an email if you want to join in our serving team in order to maximise and exercise your gifts and graces in and through us. We would love you to be part of our worship team, communication team, people support team, Graphic, Arts and Media team or more.
What activities and projects are planned for the rest of the year?
We have two key activities that are distinctive to each other. First one is a combined worship gathering. It includes Worship & Praise led by inter-cultural worship team of young people, World of Worship that people see and experience a worship style of a different culture, Spotlight that people hear about a youth group of our Synod and how God is moving in and through them and preaching. Second one is Disciple Makers Gathering. It is a leadership/discipleship development programme of NGA. It focuses on interactive learning about leadership and discipleship and building community of the next gen young people.
Worship Gathering : 29 Apr/29 Jul/ 28 Oct
Disciple Makers Gathering: 26 May/ 25 Aug/ 29 Sep
Social Gathering: 30 June/ 24 Nov
Volunteer Appreciation Event: TBC
How can congregations engage better with youth?
A sense of belonging, A sense of purpose, Inspiration for greater things.
