Youth encouraged to find their voice at convention

“Amendments to amendments to amendments.” Although this is not really possible in parliamentary procedure, this is what quite a few youth told me when I asked them about what they expected from going to convention. Thankfully, the reality was much more rewarding.

Twenty-three youth came to con­vention this year, a significant increase from last year. Four of them were serving as delegates from their congregations. With seat , voice and vote, they par­ticipated in the workshops and business sessions, giving their input, initiating dialogue with other generations on chal­lenging topics such as human sexuality, and participating in discussions with Bishop Waggoner and the House of Dep­uties President Bonnie Anderson.

They also provided entertainment for the other delegates. Responding to a common complaint that business ses­sions are long and a bit dry at times, they sponsored a convention-wide coloring contest with a Camp Cross gift basket as the top prize. Dan Bozich from St. Luke’s, Wenatchee, was the winner as selected by the youth and is expected to be up at Camp Cross next summer with his $50 gift certificate. Youth also tore up the dance floor after the banquet, modeling how to have a good time for all those who joined them.

Bishop Waggoner and Bonnie Anderson sat down with the youth for a conversation about convention as well as the Church as a whole. Many tough questions were posed about the state of the Church, the fact that most resolutions at conven­tion were about changes to constitu­tion and canons, and how youth can participate more substantively in convention. Anderson challenged the youth to understand why minute changes to the constitution and can­ons are important, and to use their standing in the Church to create the substantive resolutions they want to see at convention. The youth responded with a passion to take up that challenge in the coming year, and explore how they can contribute to convention and the Church, instead of only discussing and criticizing the system.

Finally, the Youth Presence at convention owes great thanks to the many people who helped make it happen. Thanks go to Bishop Waggoner and Bonnie Anderson for their time and con­cern for the youth and their growth; the people of St. Luke’s church for welcom­ing us to stay at their church; to Gloria Lund for co-coordinating the great food and homemade cookies; to the chaper­ones, and to all those at convention who took an active interest in the Youth Pres­ence and what they had to contribute to our Diocese.

I am happy to report that this year there were no amendments to amend­ments to amendments, and that the Youth Presence was an educational and fun event for all involved. It helped the youth become comfortable with church governance, seeing participation and commitment as a norm as they grow up in the Church, and seeing the process of church governance not as a haze of rules, but a process in which to be actively engaged.