North American Division | GC Session News Briefs

NEWS ABOUT THE NORTH AMERICAN DIVISION
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 28

Impact Toronto 2000: Young Adult Community Service Training Event

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This site will provide daily news and information summaries from the General Conference Session that affects the North American Division. Current news will be found in this space. Archival links for prior days' news will be available in the left-hand sidebar. For additional news, be sure to visit the official General Conference Session 2000 web site and other sites provided in the left sidebar.

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Impact Toronto 2000: Young Adults Converge For International Community Service Training Event

An international youth training event is being held June 29-July 8 in connection with the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists in Toronto. The event, dubbed Impact Toronto 2000 (IT2000), will equip 275 young adults aged 18 to 35 to work in their home communities around the world as they learn on the streets from some of the Church's top talents in one of 17 innovative service areas. Delegates will also be participating in special events, and assisting with two different series of meetings aimed at young adults.
The Purpose—With a view to replacing some of the negative perceptions about young people, IT2000 is creating events that will allow the young adults to:

benefit the city of Toronto,
demonstrate the positive impact of Adventist Christianity on young lives,
raise awareness of the health-oriented, multi-dimensional lifestyle advocated by the Seventh-day Adventist Church, and
employ their skills and learning in their home areas.

The Means—Through a variety of workshops, special events, groups practise their skills at locations around the city, and two different series of Christ-centered evening meetings for young adults, participants will learn by doing.
Special Events and Meetings—The planned events include the following:

community service activities on Canada Day, July 1, aimed at giving back to the city that has opened its arms to them;
nightly meetings July 2-7 open to all Toronto area youth, featuring José Rojas, Youth Director for the North American Division of the Church (Toronto East Adventist church venue for a crowd of 500 or more), and seminary student Andrea Trusty King (Regent Park Community Ministry United church, seating 75), followed by Christian Café featuring Christian bands and music at the Toronto East location;
Youth Rally on July 8 at the Convention Centre, where 5,000 young adults are expected to gather and hear a 17-year-old young woman give her ideas on changing the world;
July 4 and 6 afternoon showcase sampler of performing groups at Nathan Philips Square, where the public can sample the activities that will be scattered around the city at during the week; and
Participation in a July 8 afternoon youth presentation in the SkyDome at a meeting of the main General Conference assembly.

Learning/Ministry Groups—Individuals will stay with one area of learning throughout the 10 days. They will receive instruction in the morning and practice their skills on the streets in the afternoon in one of these areas:

Café Ministry—A place where conversation easily turns to spiritual things, aimed at young adults who are uncomfortable with church.
Creative Children's Ministries

Compassion Outreach—Feeding the homeless and listening and learning at a hospice are all part of the joy of compassion.
Door-to-Door Ministry—Learn to visit and pray with people in their own homes where they are most comfortable and open.
Drama—Taking message-based drama to the streets.
FLAG Camp—Fun Learning About God (FLAG) Camp, a popular day camp with Bible-centered activities and crafts.
Mime—This approach to communicating transcends words and goes straight to the emotions.
Music—Outdoor concerts featuring talent from around the world.
Prayer—Bring prayer Power Stations to the streets for people looking to connect with a higher power.
Puppetry—Engaging the imagination, singing Christ-centered songs, and communicating positively about drug use prevention.
Recreation—An innovative program that can be used in both urban and rural settings to challenge young (and not so young) adults in health- and leadership-enhancing ways.
Storm Co.—A study of how to meet a community where it is and serve it in a variety of ways.
Street Artists & Christian "Graffiti"—A new avenue for communication that improves defaced neighborhoods.
Street Preaching—Taking the Word to the streets.
VBS Live!—A fast-paced, Bible-based adventure for a video game generation.
Video—A study in video ministry.
Youth Rally—July 8 in the Convention Centre.

The Background and Origins—Building on the positive outcome of Impact Utrecht '95 (the first such youth event run concurrently with the Church's business session in the Netherlands), IT2000 organizers have hand-picked Adventist trainers from around the globe and expanded the variety of training areas offered from six (in Utrecht) to 20.
The Youth Department of the North American Division of the world Church through its Center for Youth Evangelism in Berrien Springs, Mich. are partnering with the Adventist Church in Canada in planning and executing the event.
"I see us taking Christ and the Adventist message to the street," says Cyril Millett, Director of General Programming for IT2000. Millett, who also oversees the youth camp program of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Ontario, hopes that many of the skills and ministries taught will become established as part of the Toronto church's service to the community.

Further background available at these web sites:
Center for Youth Evangelism
Canadian University College
Seventh-day Adventist Church in Canada
Youth/Young Adult Ministries (North American Division)

—Lynn Neumann McDowell
(416) 460-7626
(416) 391-8730
IT2Klynn@aol.com

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