NEXT GENERATION MINISTRIES COUNCIL

SUMMARY OF WORK

1. Continued follow up to support local presbytery network development.

2. Hosted Next Gen Ministry Leadership Summit at Central Presbyterian Church in St Louis MO in April 2024 with 53 attendees from 13/16 presbyteries.

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RECOMMENDATIONS

The Next Generation Ministries Council has no recommendations for the 44th General Assembly.

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WORK OF THE COMMITTEE

NEXTGEN LEADERSHIP SUMMIT

Acting upon a motion approved by the 39th General Assembly, the Next Generation Ministries Council planned, invited, and hosted over 55 NextGen ministry workers coming from 13 Presbyteries at our third Leadership Summit in April 2024 in St Louis, Missouri. This Summit was created in order to model and cultivate NextGen networks at the Presbytery level. Everyone at the Summit was refreshed by worship and prayer, equipped by preaching and through idea sharing, and connected to the EPC and their Presbyteries. But most of all, after three Summits we are seeing incredible development at the Presbytery levels of NextGen Presbytery Networks with two of our Presbyteries already establishing standing Next Gen Committees on the Presbytery level for mutual edification, idea sharing, and joining arms in ministry to children, youth, college, and families.

Behind this is a belief in the power of connectionism in Presbyterianism. Great things happen when God puts us side-by-side. As a denomination, we believe that for our presbyters at Presbytery meetings and at the General Assembly. Now we are bringing the efficacy of connectionalism to the much-needed area of Next Generation Ministries in the EPC. For this, we are incredibly grateful to Presbyteries and local churches for funding and sending their NextGen workers to this Summit to accelerate this worthwhile endeavor and for some even taking the next step by starting up standing committees as well.

FOLLOW-UP

Continuing this work means the Council has followed up with support for NextGen workers and budding Presbytery networks. This concept has certainly taken root and borne fruit. We hope to see even more of these NextGen Presbytery Networks so that the work of NextGen Ministries can benefit from the bottom-up dynamic of the EPC. Our follow-up led into the preparations for this year’s Leadership Summit, we have already begun planning for our fourth Summit in Spring 2025 in order to continue connecting NextGen workers within Presbyteries.

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RECOMMENDATIONS (DETAILED)

The Next Generation Ministries Council has no recommendations for the 44th General Assembly.

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COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Joe Stroup (Co-Chairman)
TE, Presbytery of the Alleghenies

Cole Lescher
TE, Presbytery of Mid-America

Faith Hampton
Presbytery of the Central South

Daniel Kish
TE, Presbytery of the Central South

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MEETING DATES

November 6, 2023: Video Conference
January 8, 2024: Video Conference
March 11, 2024: Video Conference
March 25, 2024: Video Conference
April 9, 11-12, 2024: Central Presbyterian Church (St. Louis, MO)

Joe Stroup Co-Chairman
June 2024

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