UKRAINIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH OF THE USA
CONSISTORY OFFICE OF YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULT MINISTRY
PRESS RELEASE

3rd Youth Sobor of Ukrainian Orthodox Church of USA Largest to Date!

The 3rd Youth Sobor of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA took place October 29th – 31st in South Bound Brook, NJ in conjunction with the 19th Regular Sobor of the Church.  Twelve teenagers representing the parishes of Allentown, PA - Carnegie, PA -Carteret, NJ - Pittsburgh, PA - Rochester, NY – Silver Spring, MD, Werners, NY and Woonsocket, RI gathered together to discuss issues relevant to the youth of the Church.

Topics discussed by the Youth Sobor delegates included: Review of the Vision Statement for the Ideal Church created by the 1st Youth Sobor, Ways that teenagers may serve God and  be leaders in His Church, Reasons for teens and college students to stay and/or come back to the church, and programming needs of the youth.  The resulting recommendations from these discussions will be published in the Ukrainian Orthodox Word, on the UOC website and sent to the parishes for implementation.

The Youth Sobor delegates also participated in a workshop provided by Orthodox Christian Fellowship concerning their imminent college experience, a Consistory Scavenger Hunt, a question and answer session with five of our clergy as well as an evening social at St. Sophia’s Seminary.

Some notable recommendations from the Youth Sobor were:

• PROMOTE YOUNG COMPOSERS TO UTILIZE THEIR TALENTS TO COMPOSE NEW LITURGICAL MUSIC THAT MAY REFLECT THE CURRENT TIMES

• NOT ONLY ENCOURAGE YOUTH TO ATTEND OUR CAMPING PROGRAMS, BUT HELP IN ALL WAYS TO MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR THEM TO ATTEND (FINANCIAL, TRAVEL, ETC.

• CONNECT PARISHIONERS THROUGH A “PRAYER BUDDIES” PROGRAM – (PRAY FOR AN ANONYMOUS [OR NOT ANONYMOUS] PERSON, OR PRAY WITH THEM, KEEP IN CONTACT WITH THEM AND PRAY WITH THEM)

• PARTICIPATE in the Jr. Ukrainian Orthodox League and if your parish does not have one, investigate the possibility of starting one.  The Jr. UOL helps teenagers learn skills that will aid them in being leaders and this will ultimately benefit the church.  For more information on starting the Jr. UOL, contact the Jr. UOL president at www.uol.orthodoxws.com

The Youth Sobor is coordinated by the Consistory Office of Youth & Young Adult Ministry.  The main objectives of this program are to provide our teenagers with a better understanding of the workings of the national church, promote and foster leadership with the church and provide a voice for our youth with the church.

For more information about the Youth Sobor or programming for the youth the church go to www.uocyouth.org.