Church of England Youth Council
The Church of England Youth Council is a body of young Christians from dioceses throughout the Church of England.
The council's "core group" committee meets monthly at Church House, Westminster to keep up with current affairs within the Church and in the wider national community of England, to ensure members are available to attend any one-off events in which either the church or young people should be represented and to talk through report of our longer standing seats on councils and committees (such as the Board of Education representative or their three General Synod representatives, and to plan for the national meetings which take place in Autumn and Spring.
They aim to have two representatives, aged 16 to 25, from each of the 43 dioceses in the Church of England - not including the core group members who are seen to represent the national council and not their home dioceses; however the regular number of members (between 30 and 50, excluding the core group) are spread widely between the north and south of the country and recently has included a member from the Church of England Diocese of Sodor and Man.
Regional Youth Councils are also beginning to emerge; the strongest of these is in the Diocese of Derby which holds its own elections for national representatives from the council.
CEYC has strong links with members of groups such as FURY, the Methodist Youth Assembly, the Quakers and members of the Evangelical Church in Germany, all of whom are welcome visitors to CEYC meetings. Some members have also had, on occasion, various international opportunities, travelling to such places as New York and Germany. They have attended meetings such as the Ecumenical Youth Council of Europe, the General Convention of the Episcopal Church and, as part of an Anglican Observer group, the United Nations.
Vision Statement
The Council's Vision Statement was created when the full council met in Paddington, West London in April 2008. Those present agreed that it would provide a distinctive "way forward" for the organisation to follow and pursue, now and for years to come. A verse from Paul's First Letter to Timothy also now features as part of the CEYC Vision.
"Through worship, prayers and the building of friendship, CEYC...actively represents the young people of the Church of England by:
- discussing and debating issues impacting on the youth of today
- engaging in dialogue with the Church of England and the wider community
It enriches its members by providing the opportunity to:
- participate fully within the CEYC community
- develop their gifts and callings within the wider context of the church
- gain knowledge of the Church of England and the differing traditions and views within it
It actively engages with young people by:
- debating issues affecting all young people in order to improve their quality of life
- encouraging and supporting young participation at all levels
- take action to create change where needed
- supporting them in their spiritual journey"
The councils signature Bible Verse is taken from 1 Timothy Chapter 4 Verse 12
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History
The active participation of young people in the management of their own learning and development, and in decision-making process at all levels, lies at the heart of youth work practice. Empowering young people to have a voice has been a challenge for the church at all levels and the creation of CEYC provides a platform from which young people can participate in the life of their local parish and diocese, as well as nationally. The Church can stand alongside other organisations (faith-based and secular) in the way that it approaches young people's participation, but this is an ongoing work and ministry that needs continuous championing and support.
Key steps along the way are highlighted on the council's website.
References
- "Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity."