Learning Opportunities
Sunday School (10:45 - noon Sunday) Especially for Youth...or join one of the adult Sunday School classes
“Just” Art? with Christian Piatt and Phoebe Spier - A lot of times we think of the arts as entertainment. But throughout history, art has been used to change the world in ways nothing else can. Experience how video media, music, visual art, and spoken word deal with elements of justice. Participate in creating some “just” art yourself!
Sing Me a Story, Tell Me a Song with General Youth Council Leaders - Be challenged to learn more about the Bible through stories and music! Research and relate Bible stories or themes to peers and adults. There is opportunity for personal growth through sharing and presentation as well as the growth of personal relationships with others. This session will include walking around the Convention Center in small groups with a youth or adult leader.
Making the Most of College Financial Aid with Higher Education and Leadership Ministries (HELM) - For High School students: No matter what your higher education plans may be, there are some basic things everybody needs to know about paying for it. We will look at the basic types and sources of undergraduate financial aid and how to make the most of them. We’ll talk about Pell Grants, Federal Guaranteed Student Loans, Work Study and other student employment, and the scholarships and discounts given by the schools themselves, including—but not limited to—special considerations for Disciples students at Disciples-related colleges and universities!
Disciples Got Talent Rehearsal with DGT Leadership Team - This is a mandatory rehearsal for Monday night's Disciples Got Talent show. If your act involves special attire or props, please consider this a full dress rehearsal and be ready to perform in full gear. Mark this on your calendar! See you there! Sunday 10:45 AM - 12:30 PM.
Food Prayer Wall Mission Zone with General Assembly Youth Leaders - Construction Zone! Bring your non-perishable food items and help build the General Assembly 2013 Prayer Wall! This mission project of the youth-sponsored all-assembly food drive will turn into an act of prayer. Write your prayers and place them between the “cracks” in the Prayer Wall, engaging spiritual practice around our General Assembly theme, “Lord, Teach Us to Pray.”
Appreciation Project with General Assembly Youth Leaders - We are building and strengthening a culture of hospitality and appreciation! Come find ways to demonstrate gratitude and appreciation to your neighbors – hotel staff, restaurant staff, and other workers in Orlando, youth ministry leaders, general church ministry leaders, new friends made at GA, and more. Make or sign thank you cards, learn how to make a friendship bracelet, and engage other ways to offer kindness.
For Adult Youth Leaders:
Youth Ministry: The Road Ahead with Disciples Youth Ministry Network (DYMN) Leaders - In a changing world and a changing church, what will the road ahead look like for Disciples in youth ministry? Engage the conversation with the well-traveled youth ministers of DYMN. And also discover some great resources available to you in your ministry with youth!
Hang Out in the Convention Center… This is for any adults, really. Be around the Convention Center and available for the “Sing Me a Story, Tell Me a Song” small groups to creatively present their Bible story to you. This is fun, intergenerational Bible learning!
Chi Rho XP-ERIENCE
Those youth who have completed grades 6-8 will be a part of the General Assembly Chi Rho XP-ERIENCE. The format will be similar to the High School program with various workshops and small group conversations. XP-ERIENCE will be more structured, meeting the needs of our Chi Rho youth, while allowing them more choices and the opportunity to explore the full assembly experience with the rest of the youth group.
And on Monday and Tuesday...
Youth will be offered discovery tracks of their own as well as a variety of worship and social opportunities. Please register for the track you are most interested in attending. Return to this page for updated plans as the assembly approaches.
Discovery Tracks Monday and Tuesday
(Many Cultures, One World experience on Wednesday)
Leadership (Ayanna Johnson)
Spiritual gifts
Leading vs. holding an office
Missional leadership -- making change
Styles of leadership
Rev. Ayanna Johnson is an ordained minister of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). From 2005 to 2009, she served as pastor of the Family of Hope Christian Church in Blue Island, Ill. -- a multicultural congregation she founded together with other members of a ministry team. In addition to her pastoral work, Johnson has been a columnist for DisciplesWorld magazine, a community organizer in southwest Chicago, a counselor for at-risk youth and mentally-ill adults, and a teaching fellow. Johnson earned her BA in sociology from Yale University before going on to complete both the Master of Divinity and the Master of Arts in Social Service Administration at the University of Chicago. Currently she is the director of community life at Chicago Theological Seminary.
Relationships and Sexuality (CLER staff Beth and Rob Morris)
Defining "normal"
Theology of sexuality
Dating and relationships
STIs and other issues
Beth Morris currently serves as a youth minister. She lives is a member of Ridglea Christian Church in Fort Worth where her husband, Rob Morris, is senior minister. Beth has a MA in social work from Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio and a BS in social work from Texas Christian University. Her professional background and training is primarily with the treatment foster care systems. She has also held positions at Lake Brownwood Christian Retreat, First Christian Church in Odessa, and at Hillyer Memorial Christian Church in Raleigh, NC. She is also a trained CLER (8ers) summer camp keynoter as well as a CLER church educator. Beth and Rob have been married for 14 years and have three children: Adelynn, 13, Elanor, 10, and Oliver, 7.
Rob is the senior minister at Ridglea Christian Church - a growing congregation with a strong focus on social justice and community outreach ministries. Rob believes in helping people to make room to be open vessels of God's generous and compassionate love for all people. He enjoys telling corny jokes, doing summer camps, meeting new people, traveling, and just being outdoors.
Social Justice (Disciples Peace Fellowship summer interns)
Poverty and hunger
Environment and stewardship
Human trafficking
How to make a difference
Disciples Peace Fellowship interns for 2013 are Doug Collins of Oregon (Eureka College), Aly Gideon of Oklahoma (Chapman University) and Margie Quinn of Tennessee (University of Georgia). They will be touring camps across the denomination this summer as well as offering justice learning for youth at the General Assembly.
Spirituality (Nancy Brink) 
12 ways to pray
Spiritual seasons
Movements of the heart
Experiencing God
Rev. Nancy Brink is the Director of Church Relations at Chapman University in Orange, Calif. since January 2009. She leads a group of nearly 100 Disciples and UCC students at this Disciples-related university. She brings to Chapman her extensive experience as a global traveler, leadership coach, and spiritual mentor. She was a parish pastor for 30 years, 20 of them as senior minister of North Side Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Omaha, Neb. She holds a BA in religion from Texas Christian University and an M.Div. from the Divinity School of Vanderbilt University.
Personal Ethics (Virzola Law and Daniel White)
Being yourself in a time of change
Standing up for your beliefs
Supporting others while being you
Surviving brokenness around you
Rev. Virzola Law joined the staff of Mississippi Boulevard Church (Memphis) in 2003 as pastor for youth and singles. She has also served as pastor to the east campus, pastor for spiritual life and is now pastor of discipleship and leadership. Previously she was senior pastor at Woodland Christian in Houston. She has a BS in mathematics from Jarvis College (Hawkins, Tex.) and an MDiv from Phillips Theological Seminary. Law is a member of Delta Sigma Theta sorority.
Rev. Daniel L. White is the third generation of ministers in his family. He is a 1997 graduate of Morehouse College where he received his BA in business management. His MDiv. is from George W. Truett Seminary on the campus of Baylor University in Waco, Texas.
Currently, he serves as associate pastor of students (7-12th grades) and next generation (18-40 years old) for both the midtown and east locations of Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church.
As White continues to mature in the Lord, he is grateful for the support of God-given family that includes his parents, his older brother Alvin III, a younger brother Paul Christopher, nephew Evan, and niece Trinity.
Elective/Pot-Luck (some open to both middle and high schoolers)
Fun stuff
Crafty stuff
Bible stuff
Deep thinking stuff |
“Many Cultures, One World” Disney Youth Education Series at Epcot®
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
7:00 AM – 10:30 PM – Includes bus transportation
Registration online, $80 per person
Epcot World Showcase provides the backdrop for a unique look at people, places, and cultures that help make up the heartfelt beliefs for Epcot—the more people know about one another—our differences and our similarities—the more mutual appreciation we will have of one another, and the better we will be able to get along in our shared future. As part of the one body of Christ, Disciples welcome all to the Lord's Table as God has welcomed us. Participants will discover that acceptance of one another is a conscious personal choice, and it is the choices we make that build bridges or barriers to cultural understanding and communication. Youth and chaperons will spend three hours in this interactive education series, and they will have the rest of the day (about 9 more hours) to explore the park.