Peacemaking and Youth Ministry - July 2009

In his University Challenge delivered on 7 June 2009, the Very Reverend Dr Houston McKelvey of the Belfast Cathedral not only challenged the congregation to support the church's maintenance and development needs, but dangled before them the promise of thousands of young people at the cathedral's very doorstep when the University of Ulster opens its new facility next door.

Next door to this very building, a lane width away, the University of Ulster is developing. It has announced its intention to relocate most of its Jordanstown campus within walking distance of here. Some 10,000 young people will be on our doorsteps. What an opportunity for Christ and his Church. The challenge as I see it today to the church and the dioceses, to the cathedral community and to those of us whom we know are our friends, is how in Christ’s name do we develop in this cathedral as a missionary community - in spite of our maintenance legacy. How do we learn to sing new songs so that we can bring others to Christ? How can we reach out to them in terms of their culture, their tastes in music and their life’s agenda?

I give thanks for the past of this Cathedral - and I know you do to. I give thanks for the uniqueness of this place, and the acts of worship which in Christ’s name we are privileged to host here. But my friends, I am not blind, we are culturally ill-equipped in this place to reach out to the late teenagers and the young twenty year olds whom God is giving to us as our neighbours.

Dean McKelvey had recently attended the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, which prompted him to mention his good friend Reverend Doug Baker, whom our church sponsors in his PCUSA peacemaking work in Belfast. Rev Baker politely challenged the dean to explain his church's mission, prompting Dean McKelvey to ponder their direction as so many youth head their way.

You can get an idea of just how busy Rev Baker is with youth groups and young adults in mission from the US by sampling some recent blog entries: Fourth Presbyterian Church of Chicago's youth group, Queens University of Charlotte, and Andy, a Young Adult Volunteer (yav) heading to Belfast to work with Rev Baker this summer.

Take a look at Doug and Elaine Baker's most recent newsletter. Support mission at all levels of Presbyterian ministry.