A four-day meeting of Church of Melanesia (COM) leaders is being planned to take place in Honiara from 7th to 10th August 2007 to discuss youth issues.

It is expected all the Diocesan Bishops, Youth Coordinators and Mission Secretaries as well as youth representatives of the COM institutions will attend the meeting.

The theme of the Consultation will be "Empowering Youths for Participation and Effective Ministry."

Through this the Church will be looking at how its youth could be assisted so that they would become useful and responsible Christians.

Most of the membership of the Church are young people and against the backdrop of many influences both external and internal, both good and bad, the young people are grappling with as they grow up in Solomon Islands and Vanuatu the Church will be reviewed at how it has ministered to young people both male and female both spiritually, physically, socially and mentally.

Also the Church will be reviewing how it could involve its young people in the mission and ministry of the Church especially to young people in the Church and others.

With young people both female and male meeting together with the other leaders as well as reflecting and praying together with them at this Consultation, it is hoped that better understanding and appreciation of the youth issues and concrete steps in the right direction would be taken to improve further ministry to and participation of youths in the life of the Church and the mission and ministry of the Church.

Hopefully, the meeting will form the basis of the work programme for the Provincial Youth Coordinator to provide better support to the Dioceses and the Diocesan youth leaders.

Article from Melanesian Messenger