WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Council of Bishops has selected 10 (ten) young adults as part of its continued strategy to lead The United Methodist Church (UMC) into living more fully in Christian unity and deepening interreligious relationships.
The 10 participants selected for United Methodist Ecumenical and Interreligious Training: Young Adult Network (UMEIT: YAN) will be trained in group leadership skills, the history and theology of the ecumenical and interreligious movements, and how the UMC lives out Christian unity and interreligious relationships.
The group of young adults, between the ages of 25 and 34, represent the jurisdictions and central conferences of the UMC, and are both lay and clergy.
The young adults are:
- Mauche Ishaya from Nigeria (endorsed by Bishop John Wesley Yohanna)
- Shannon Sullivan from Baltimore-Washington (endorsed by Bishop LaTrelle Easterling)
- Michael Mullen from Upper New York (endorsed by Bishop Mark Webb)
- Jack Tickle from Western Pennsylvania (endorsed by Bishop Cynthia Moore-Koikoi)
- Nick Baird-Chrisohon from Tennessee (endorsed by Bishop Bill McAlilly)
- Chloe Panaguiton from the Philippines (endorsed by Bishop Rudy Juan)
- Katye Chambers from Arkansas/Northern Illinois (endorsed by Bishop Sally Dyck)
- Michelle Chun from California Nevada (endorsed by Bishop Minerva Carcaño)
- John Lusulu Unda from DR Congo (endorsed by Bishop David Yemba)
- George Dixon-Gough from the Methodist Church in Great Britain
“These young people will build community and study together via video conference for about two years. They will also meet face-to-face two times. And, each young adult will develop a network or ministry project to help them teach about ecumenism and interreligious relationships to young adults in their contexts,” said the Rev. Dr. Jean Hawxhurst, the Ecumenical Staff Officer of Leadership Development for the Council of Bishops of The United Methodist Church.
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Media Contact: Rev. Dr. Maidstone Mulenga
Director of Communications – Council of Bishops
The United Methodist Church
mmulenga@umc-cob.org
202-748-5172