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Family
and Age Level Ministries
Family
Ministries and Human Sexuality
Justice for Children and Their Families
Ecumenical Young Adult Ministries Team
Ecumenical Youth Ministries Staff Team
Family 2006 Resource: Family
Values: A Tapestry of Choices
Family 2005 Resource:
Valuing Families
Family 2004 Resource:
Peacemaking Begins at Home
Family 2003 Resource: Transformed, Centered and Balanced:
Never Enough Time
Family 2002 Resource: Jubilee People Centered and
Balanced - Making Ends Meet
Committee
on Family Ministries and Human Sexuality
 The Committee on Family Ministries and Human Sexuality has its
roots in an ecumenical staff fellowship of denominational family ministry specialists that
began meeting in the 1950s.
The Committee's charge is to develop program activities, strategies, and
policies. The committee also functions as a forum, enabling member denominations and
organizations to share resources and work cooperatively.
The Committee assists participating denominations and
organizations in:
- the life-long nurturing task of families
- strengthening marriage, parenting and familial living through
programs of education and leader development
- addressing human sexuality throughout the life cycle
- supporting families in a time of many cultural changes
- providing remedial strategies for problems affecting families,
preventative strategies for enhancing the health of families, and advocacy regarding
public policies that impact families.
The committee includes a network of some thirty-four
denominations and family serving organizations. It meets annually, sponsors an occasional
newsletter and its members contribute to the Journal of Family Ministry.
Click here for the committee's 2006 annual report.
Staff to the committee is
Mayra Castaņeda.
Committee
on Justice for Children and Their Families
 The Committee on Justice for Children and their Families began as
the child advocacy arm of the NCC Division of Church and Society in 1978. In 1994 it moved
to Ministries in Christian Education (now known as the Education and Leadership Ministries
Commission). A primary function of the committee is to facilitate member
denominations and organizations working together to strengthen the well-being of children
and families. In addition to raising awareness of the critical needs of children and
families and ways to respond to these needs, the committee is concerned with the faith
community's being better equipped to prepare people for advocacy on behalf of children and
families.
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In a world where millions of children suffer needlessly, the religious
community must be a prophetic voice which calls for God's shalom of peace,
justice and wholeness for all children and families. The Committee on
Justice for Children and their Families coordinates and strengthens the
religious community's efforts to inform and empower churches and religious
organizations to respond to children's needs, especially those of vulnerable
and impoverished children. |
The committee's network of advocates embraces some 30 persons.
Sixteen full members represent seven NCC member communions and four cooperating
organizations. In addition, there are eight associates representing six additional
communions or cooperating organizations.
Priorities for the New Millennium
- raise the church's awareness of and response to children's needs
- strengthen congregations' inclusion of children in the full life
and ministry of the church
- encourage and support high quality congregation-based child care
- strengthen the church's work in preventing violence
- monitor the impact of welfare-to-work legislation on children and
families
- promote high quality comprehensive public education
The committee has published three bibliographies:
- Child Abuse Ministry: Resources for the Religious Community for
the Prevention, Intervention and Healing of Child Abuse
- Child Health and Family Health Ministry
- Violence: The Church's Response
After the upsurge of church burnings in 1996, the committee
focused its attention on anti-racism resources, especially on curricula and activity for
children and the church.
Click here for
"The
Church and Children: Visions and Goals for the 21st Century" -
policy adopted by the NCC/CWS General Assembly in November 2004.
Click
here for the committee's 2006 annual report.
July 8, 2006, A
Faithful Voice for Children
Rebecca Davis staffs the committee. E-mail: rdavis@union-pcse.edu.
Also:
Mayra Castaņeda
 A Young Adult Ministry Staff Team existed from the 1970s until
1992 and was responsible for a series of conferences, several with the name
"Crossroads." Following the May 1992 Taize Gathering in Dayton, OH, a Young
Adult Steering Committee was formed of young adults representing the communions which made
up the Young Adult Ministry Staff Team. In November of 1992, the two groups met together
and merged into the Ecumenical Young Adult Ministries Team, which includes both young
adult constituents and denominational staff serving in young adult ministries. One staff
person and one young adult are elected to co-moderate the team for a two-year term.
In 1993 the Team adopted the following mission statement: The
Ecumenical Young Adult Ministries Team of the National Council of the Churches of Christ
in the USA is an ecumenical coalition of communities that connect, empower, and strengthen
young adult ministries and denominational and young adult organizational representatives.
We struggle for diverse and inclusive networks through local, regional, national and
international partnerships. We seek to live out our faith and create a more just world by
upholding the dignity and importance of all God’s creation.
The EYAMT in 2006 sponsored its
fifth "Come to the
Feast" event, an ecumenical event for leaders and young adults.
For information on "Come to the Feast, go to
www.cometothefeast.org
Click
here for the Ecumenical Young Adult Ministries Team's 2006 annual report.
Contact:
Garland F.
Pierce
Ecumenical
Youth Ministries
Staff Team
The Ecumenical Youth Ministries Staff Team (EYMST)
gathers each December for a time of continuing education, resource sharing and
collaboration and networking, a time apart to renew their spirit and energy
for working with youth throughout the year in retreats, mission trips, and
youth gatherings. The primary purpose of EYMST is to resource denominational
staff in youth ministry.
Click
here for the Ecumenical Youth Ministries Staff Team's 2006 annual report.
Learn more about a first time leadership development conference and retreat for
adult workers in youth ministry and their families.
Staff contact:
Mayra Castaņeda
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