So glad to be officially kicking off our search for this Summer's team of talented and dedicated college students to serve as Transforming Leaders and Motown Mission interns.  This is a great opportunity for college students to spend a summer doing missional work in the Motor City, living in intentional community, and participating in vocational and spiritual discernment.  

If you know of a college student who might be interested in serving with us, please send them a link to the 2011 Summer Internship Application or to the TL and Motown Mission page at emergedetroit.org.

Each year since 2006 YLI has hosted an amazing group of students for this important and life-changing work, and we're excited to offer 2011 as another banner year for service in this city.  

Thanks and peace,
Carl Gladstone
YLI/Motown Mission Director

Friends, the holidays have been a great time here in Detroit.  From our book release party for Shane Claiborne's "Common Prayer" with the Detroit Villages, to Motown Mission weeks getting filled up, to Catalyst gearing up for a great semester of missional entrepreneurship - the participants in YLI programs continue to inspire me.

We've also been joined in this exciting work by U of M, Semester In Detroit student Hannah Rodriguez.  Hannah will be serving this semester as a coordinator of projects and volunteers for Motown Mission and we're really grateful to have her.  If you happen to be one of those elite few who've been on the Motown Mission summer staff, please jump on the Facebook page and welcome her too!  


In other news, our Catalyst team will be receiving their $100 seed money for their mission projects around the city.  Starting Monday, you too can participate in these missional ventures by contributing to the Catalyst fund through Crowdrise (our new social fundraising system).  This program has proven to be a great way to help reinstate a United Methodist campus ministry presence here in the City of Detroit.  Many churches have received our letter explaining this new ministry and inviting partnership so it can continue.  I hope your congregation will prayerfully consider the students you may already have attending WSU, and the opportunities we might celebrate together through future partnerships.

All in all, this is an exciting new time for the Young Leaders Initiative and we're so glad to be on this journey with you, our volunteers, participants, and future partners!  Thanks for all you do to engage young people as leaders for the transformation of the Church and World.

Sincerely,
Carl Gladstone