2023

Task Force on Young Adult Ministry

Submitted by: Rev. Hannah Elyse Cornthwaite, Chair of the Taskforce on Young Adult Ministry

Submitted to: the 174th Diocesan Convention, 25 September 2023

The Task Force on Young Adult Ministry was formed to asses how the Diocese of California can get creative and support young adults during this important period of transition and change in their lives. The scope of this task force is centered on young adults (late teams, twenties, and thirties) in recognition that people in this age group may or may not attend college with a campus ministry or move away from their family and church of origin.

The taskforce is diverse, with our members coming from different parishes and parts of the Bay Area, being at different stages of (young) adulthood, and being a mix of both clergy and laity. This diversity is both a gift and crucial to addressing the needs of YA’s in the Bay Area. We have begun the work to create a strategic plan for 2024.

The YA Task Force’s high-level goals for 2024

  • Gather information
  • Make recommendations
  • Geographic
    • Where are the people (identify and connect with others)
    • Where in the diocese is there most need, most possible, most young adults, what already have YA
  • Explore mobile/zoom/slack/discord/etc opportunities
  • Fostering chaplaincy at CC level exploring relationships between churches
  • Connection between youth groups, moves (geographical), and campus/ministry/church

We recognize that we are missing critical voices we had previously identified and are recruiting this task force: youth group leader and current campus chaplain.

The task force will be consulting people who can provide insights, advice, and ideas in the following areas:

  • Non-Episcopal or nones
  • Youth group leaders
  • Young Parents
  • Current campus chaplain
  • Intentional communities
  • DioCal Faith Formation Group
  • Former Dio youth presence
  • General Convention (GC) YA

In 2024, we hope to use the information gathered to be able propose a variety of tools, resources, and models that can generate discussion and inform our approach to YA ministry in the Diocese of California.

If you have any questions about the Task Force on Young Adult Ministry, input you would like to share, or an interest in participating in our work, please email diocal_yataskforce@googlegroups.com or vicar@stcyprianssf.org.

Members:
John Wagas
Laura Curlin
Annalise Deal
Rev. AnnaMarie Hoos
Rev. Will Scott
Rev. Hannah Elyse Cornthwaite, Chair