Twelve months ago we began….officially: the Young Preachers Leadership Team.
There were 18 to begin with, but along the way 4 dropped out: leaving 14 to finish the year.
They hailed from 3 states and 13 schools and, I think, 14 different denominations–it is so hard to keep track of denominations anymore, something not as important to these young people as their mentors.
Some graduated: Christian Smith from high school, Scott Claybrook from college, and Kara Hildebrandt and Caela Wood from seminary. One was ordained: Kara, by the First Presbyterian Church of Bowling Green, where she is now the associate pastor; and one is about to be ordained: Caela, by the First United Church of Bloomington, Indiana, where she also is the associate pastor.
Jonathan Scott, a student at Oakland City University in Oakland City, Indiana, was appointed as pastor of the Francisco Church of the Nazarene. Frankly, I don’t know if ordination was a part of that appointment, or preceded it, or remains yet a goal for the young preacher. How do they handle that in the Nazarene tradition?
Alex Williams preached his first sermon, and his second, and his third, fourth, fifth and sixth. The last one was for a pastor search committee from Louisville, Kentucky, and that conversation between church and young preacher is still in process.
Three are “graduating” from the Leadership Team (Hildabrandt, Wood, and Brother Thomas Gricoski). The first two, as reported above, are immersing themselves in parish work but Brother Thomas (a Benedictine monk) is set to travel to Belgium to begin work on a PhD in philosophy. All three have crossed over the target age group: 16-28. We are working on a new level of membership in the Academy of Preachers for those above 28. Regardless, all 14 of this original group will be designated Charter Members of the Academy of Preachers during the Festival of Young Preachers in January.
The loss of these three, plus the one vacancy on the 15-member Team, is the reason we are soliciting applications from others. We are looking for a cross-section of bright, talented, and committed young preachers to serve on the 2010 Young Preachers Leadership Team. Any of the 96 preachers at the festival this year may submit an application. Deadline is January 1, 2010.