by Lisa Barrowclough
Lambeth Conference Communications

Prayer, praise, celebratory song and champion cheerleaders promise an energetic "Youth" plenary Friday morning.

The Ascension Eagles, a team of European champion cheerleaders from inner-city London will start their demonstration at 11:15 a.m. precisely.

"The Connected Generation," a video about youth culture, and "Speak Out," a video on youth ministries in challenging situations, will set the scene for a series of discussions with youth workers. First, however, Dean Borgman, professor of youth ministries at an evangelical seminary in the United States and consultant to Section Two, will share his vision of "incarnational, contextual youth ministry."

Opportunities will be offered twice during the plenary to listen in on conversations. First, Lindsay Urwin, Bishop of Horsham (England) will chat with Pete Ward, youth advisor to the Archbishop of Canterbury, and two youth workers about "an incarnational theology of youth ministry and praxis." Later in the session, five bishops will reflect on good experiences of youth ministry in their own dioceses.

A multicultural and ecumenical group of young "Bible dancers" will portray the story of the feeding of the 5,000 from John's Gospel. They will also remember the Dunblane tragedy that took the lives of Scottish schoolchildren.

The session will conclude with a celebratory song, which all will be invited to sing, and a challenge from Bishops Urwin and David Moxon, Bishop of Waikato (New Zealand).

"Our message to the bishops," says Bishop Urwin, "is that they themselves should go out and talk to the young people in their dioceses!"

The evening service Friday at 5:45 p.m., part of the day's focus on youth, will be led by young people from the Diocese of Chichester (England). A youth band will lead the service of praise.