National Gathering offers transformational scouting ministry workshops

By Larry Coppock

The Office of Scouting Ministries is excited to offer three life-changing, disciple-making scouting ministry workshops at the 12th National Gathering of UM Men, July 7-8 at St. Luke’s UMC in Indianapolis.

We invite you to attend one or more of these 90-minute sessions designed to be inspirational and informational.

Reaching Youth: Planning, Organizing and Communicating for Effective Discipleship

Co-led by Missouri Annual Conference Scouting Coordinator Amanda Vogt and North Georgia Annual Conference Scouting Coordinator Chris Karabinos.

Patrick Sterrett, Scout executive of Crossroads of America Council, will join in a panel discussion facilitated by Phil Howard, chair of the Scouting Ministry Committee of the General Commission on UM Men.

This workshop will enhance your ministry with youth and young adults. Currently, 324,000 youth meet in 7,000 UM churches through church-sponsored civic-youth organizations. More than half of the youth come from unchurched families. Discover new and exciting ways to recruit and disciple youth and parents while engaging members of your church and conference in these outreach ministries.

Mentoring

Reggie Grant, former NFL standout and author of several books on mentoring, will lead this workshop. Grant will share the leadership role with Darcey Palmer Schultz, chief executive officer of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Indiana, and Bill West, president of Rocky Mountain Conference UM Men and a seasoned mentor.

Cyberbullying

This workshop will be led by Nick Hiratsuka, an Eagle Scout from Tucson, Ariz. Recognizing that advances in technology have created a new type of bullying, not faced by previous generations, our youngest workshop leader used his film-making skills to produce “It’s Not Just a Joke,” a video to promote discussion among youth and adults about cyberbullying.

Nick serves on the technology team at St. Mark’s UMC; he is president of his high school film club, and volunteers with a youth theater group in his community.

To enhance scouting ministries in your church or to start something new and exciting please attend one or more of these sessions. You won’t be disappointed!

Larry W. Coppock, director of scouting ministries,

General Commission on UM Men

Email: lcoppock@gcumm.org