The Global Young People’s Convocation is a big event. It brings together more than 300 United Methodist young people from around the world. To organize and put together this event, Young People’s Ministries built a Planning Team composed of young people from around the world and several staff members.

We asked them to share something about something fun or interesting about themselves, their role in the church, and what excites them about GYPC.

Program Committee Chair: Patience Chapata

Country: Zimbabwe

Central Conference/Jurisdiction: Africa Central Conference

Something fun or interesting:

• I love working with young people, children and women.
• I am a hard worker, given a task always want to do my best.
• I am confident I will keep seeing the goodness of the Lord in this land of the living.

Role in the Church:

• I am a local preacher.
• Ministry with Women ,Children and Youth Vice Chairperson at my local church-Norton United Methodist Church.
• Zimbabwe West Annual Conference Planning Committee Secretary
• Africa Central Conference Youth Network Young Women Coordinator.

What excites you about GYPC:

• It’s a time for UMC Young People from all continents coming together to celebrate, share their experiences, joys, challenges and map way forward to uplift the Young People’s Ministry;
• It’s also an opportunity to be empowered with knowledge and skills as Young People on how to survive in this global environment.

Legislative Committee Chair: Shayla Jordan

Country: USA

Jurisdiction/Central Conference: South Central Jurisdiction

Something fun or interesting:

• My first flight ever was to GYPC three years ago. The flight was from Dallas, TX to Japan and was 13 1/2 hours long. Since then, I have been on over 30 more flights in and outside the United States.

Role in the Church:

• I am currently a college student at a United Methodist College in Kansas studying Religion and Philosophy and pursuing ordination in the UMC as an elder.
• Additionally, I serve on the Division on Ministries with Young people and the World Methodist Council.

What excites you about GYPC:

• I am excited to be a part of the planning aspect of the conference this time around. In 2014, I attended as a delegate from my jurisdiction and had a life-changing experience where I felt assurance in my call to ministry. Planning this event and giving others the opportunity to experience something similar excites me the most.

Participation Committee Chair: Derrick Scott III

Country: USA

Jurisdiction/Central Conference: South Eastern Jurisdiction

Something fun or interesting:

• I have been to Australia 10 times, but I have only been to Disney world (2 hours away) 5 times.

Role in the Church:

• Campus Minister
• Lay Leader

What excites you about GYPC:

• Gathering young people from our global connection together for a time of fellowship, worship and dreaming about the future.

Worship Committee Chair: Tyler Smoot

Country: USA

Jurisdiction/Central Conference: South Eastern Jurisdiction

Something fun or interesting:

• I love running. I run marathons (26 miles) and usually run 20-30 miles per week.
• During seminary, I fell in love with the Hebrew language. I think it's beautiful and artistic. I've read quite a bit of the Old Testament in the original Hebrew.
• I became a dad recently! My wife, Sarah, and I now have a son (James David Smoot).

Role in the Church:

• I am a church musician. I play guitar, bass, vocals, and percussion.
• I served as a UMC missionary (Global Mission Fellows program), in Wisconsin, USA. My wife is an ordained Elder.

What excites you about GYPC:

• GYPC is a brief opportunity to experience the global church.
• To see the church as God sees it: all over the world, in all languages, of all races and backgrounds.
• And of course to worship, pray, and learn with this diversity as well.

Translation & Interpretation Chair: Maria Sonnleithner from Austria

Country: Austria

Jurisdiction/Central Conference: Central & Southern Europe Central Conference

Something fun or interesting:

• I love dancing! I have been Swing-Dancing for 3 years now and I believe it was one of the better decisions in my life to start Swing-Dancing.

Role in the Church:

• Member of the DMYP (Division on Ministry with Young People)
• Member of the Austrian Methodist Children and Youth Department
• Leading local Youth Group
• Translation in my local church and in the EMYC (European Methodist Youth and Children Council)

What excites you about GYPC:

• Changing the way we as the UMC have been conferencing so far and being pioneers and even guinea pigs to eventually have a better experience of holy conferencing.
• Also the exchanges of cultures and experiencing one more time the worldwide nature of this church.

Host Committee Chair: Khuliswa Thyra Mbatha Masiso

Country: South Africa

Jurisdiction/Central Conference: Africa Central Conference

Something fun or interesting:

• Enjoy challenges, cannot let go until the task is complete.

Role in the Church:

• Annual Conference UMYA Coordinator.
• District UMW President.
• District & Circuit Lay Leader.

What excites you about GYPC:

• To learn how youth handle diverse cultures.

YPM and Discipleship Ministries Staff

Dale Cancio, Philippine Staff

Country: Philippines

Central/Jurisdictional Conference: Philippines Central Conference

Something fun or interesting:

• I have a dog (shih tzu) named Max, who is one of the reasons why I am always excited to go home.
• I love music ministries and I love being involved with the ministries of young people.
• I love working out and to be healthy.

Your role in the church:

• Philippine Staff of Young People’s Ministries
• Chairperson of the Board of Discipleship of Tarlac Philippines Annual Conference

What excites you about the GYPC:

• I am so excited to see new friends, young leaders from all over the globe, have fellowship, share stories and have fruitful conversations on how to make our church be for and with young people.

Armindo Mapoissa, Africa Staff

Country: Mozambique

Central/Jurisdictional Conference: Africa Central Conference.

Something fun or cool or interesting about yourself:

• I had a chance to preach in different pulpits, in Africa and in the States. The growth in ministry started from Local Church to the Global level, this is interesting in my life.
• I love to work with young people, this is the passion I have in my life.

Your role in the church:

• YPM Regional Staff in the Africa Central Conferences in Africa.

What excites you about the GYPC:

• I helped plan for the GYPC 2006, I was a DMYP member that time.
• I attended the 2010, 2014 as Staff.
• I am excited with the commitment of the church of bringing together young people from different parts of the world. As a global church we acknowledge the importance of being together, pray together, fellowship, worship and learn. Also, the legislative part is very important as we have some legislation made by young people, and I see in young people the future of the church.

Julia Nusbaum, Event Manager

Country: USA

Something fun or interesting:

• I am a professional literary judge.

Role in the Church:

• I am the Event Manager for Young People's Ministry. Its my job to make sure that GYPC runs as smoothly as possible.

What excites you about GYPC:

• I'm excited to see young people come together from all over the world and dream up what the future church can and will look like.

Mighty Rasing, YPM Program Development Director – Central Conferences

Country: Philippines/USA

Central Conference/Jurisdiction: Philippines Central Conference

Something fun or interesting:

• When I was in College, I stayed at a boarding house inside the University of the Philippines, Diliman Campus. I had a roommate named Marvelous. We could have started a TV show called Mighty & Marvelous! :D

Your role in the church:

• I am the Program Development Director for the Central Conferences at Young People's Ministries.

What excites you about the GYPC:

• I'm excited that the venue for GYPC 2018 (Johannesburg) is worlds away from the path of typhoons/hurricanes. :D
• But seriously, I am excited to hear the diverse voices and perspectives of UM young people from around the world.

Mike Ratliff, Associate General Secretary for Young People’s Ministries

Country: USA

Central/Jurisdictional Conference: Western Jurisdiction

Something fun or cool or interesting about yourself:

• I traveled all the way around the globe in August!

What excites you about the GYPC:

• Seeing UM young people from around the world join their voices together in worship, praise, and care for God, the church, and our world.

Janet Jamieson, Discipleship Ministries Chief Financial Officer

Country: USA

Role in the church: CFO of Discipleship Ministries

Central/Jurisdictional Conference: Southeastern

Something fun, or interesting:

• One of my favorite things to do is to work with churches to help them understand and report on the finances of their congregations.

What excites you about the GYPC:

• I am looking forward to meeting such an amazing group of people and learning all about the work that God is doing through you in your part of the world!