Springtime Update: Students Galore!

WSU Catalyst student walking around campus during their TOM's "Day Without Shoes" Walk to raise money and shoes for those who don't have them. By the way, it snowed that day!

Friends, this has been an amazing season of "engaging young people as leaders for the transformation of the church and world."  As you can see in the picture above, our WSU Catalyst students are busy with their ministry projects raising funds, donations, and awareness of issues in the world like poverty, shoelessness, and sharing Agape care for their peers in the midst of stressful finals!  What a great crew, and this year we've been so blessed to welcome many new supprting churches of this re-established campus ministry in Detroit.

Then we've also begun our amazing 2012 record breaking season of Motown Mission teams.  This year we welcomed two Spring Break groups and will continue in June to welcome our 530+ Motown Mission participants for economic disaster recovery work alongside our wonderful Detroit neighbors and partners.

Lastly we are celebrating the reboot of our Metro Youth Encounter program which, in partnership with the Detroit Renaissance District Youth, recently gave out $1000 in micro-grants to UMC youth groups metro-Detroit who presented innovative ministry ideas at the DRD Youth (re)Birthday Party.  In follow up and support with these youth ministries we're excited to be reclaiming our role encouraging intercultural immersive experiences that lift young people up as transformative leaders in our local congregations and communities.

This has really been a time of experiencing the wealth of young people, their energy and ministry ideas that is all around us in Detroit-area United Methodism.  Thanks for all of you who support young people in your local churches and we invite all to find ways to continue that support and mentoring of youth and young adults as we continue in ministry together.

Sincerely,
Carl Gladstone
Director of the Young Leaders Initiative