After a successful Development evening, Joseph reflects on the importance of connecting our workers and volunteers in the South, and the opportunities it brings!

Zoom was one of those programs I would have been more than content with to leave behind in Covid. The nostalgia flowed back to me as I entered my login details and began to schedule the meeting. There was many an evening I followed these very same steps while working as a youth worker for my church during lockdown. It was impossible not to begin to brace myself for the battle of trying anything I can to facilitate actually engaging conversation, while ignoring the inevitability of mics left on, and internet drops cutting people out mid-sentence. Thankfully, rather than a bunch of young teenagers joining the call in 2020, it was 8th May 2024, and we were inviting over 15 youth and children’s workers and volunteers from around the country onto our first IMYC Development Evening for the Republic of Ireland.

Since starting my role as the Development Worker, I heard so much of how much value was found in a network of Methodist workers. There were many a leader that came before me who gave time and efforts to gather youth and children’s workers from across the Republic through event groups and committees. As so naturally tends to happen, especially through years like Covid, the hosts moved on or the committees finished up, but the need for connection and collaboration was still through across Methodist circuits.

The Development Evenings are to achieve just that. I have been inspired and so encouraged by discovering just how much talent and wisdom there is in our churches across the Republic, so getting to host so many of these leaders in one place, and see them interact brought me so much joy. Rather than the awkwardness of online youth games I remember from Covid, there was a real sense of optimism and celebration from the leaders being together again. We prayed together, the leaders split into groups to discuss and brainstorm about their ministries, and we briefly touched on how local Y&C groups can be supported. 

There is much work to be done across the country, and I left the call feeling spurred on to continue linking in with as many church as I can. The Development Evening felt so meaningful to me, though, and I am hopeful that our future gatherings can be a part of supporting and encouraging the blessed work going on across the country.

Joseph Ambrose - Youth and Children’s Ministry Development Worker (Republic of Ireland excluding Co. Donegal) joseph.ambrose@irishmethodist.org