Press Release - January 27, 2022
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Council of Bishop has announced the names of 10 young adults selected as the next cohort of United Methodist Ecumenical and Interreligious Training: Young Adult Network (UMEIT: YAN).
UMEIT: YAN is part of several initiatives of the Council of Bishops in leading The United Methodist Church into living more fully into Christian unity and into deepening our interreligious relationships. Selected young adults meet together regularly via zoom with Ecumenical Staff Officer Rev. Dr. Jean Hawxhurst for worship, leadership development, learning about the Ecumenical and Interreligious Movements, and creating ministry projects in their contexts.
They will create a group covenant, read four books, develop ministry action plans, and cultivate community among themselves. The participants also meet together face-to-face once a year as a part of their process of growing as excellent leaders in the Ecumenical and Interreligious Movements on behalf of The United Methodist Church.
Those selected for the 2022-2023 cohort of UMEIT: Young Adult Network will begin their work in March. They are laity and clergy, male and female, and live their faith in Africa, Asia, Europe and the United States, and include:
Roxanne Bainbridge from the Methodist Church in Great Britain in Wales
Gavin Brandenburg from the West Virginia Annual Conference in the United States
Michael Buscano from the Mindanao Annual Conference in the Philippines
Juwille Dimalanta from the Mindanao Annual Conference in the Philippines
Lily Maijamaa from the Northern Nigeria Annual Conference in Nigeria
Eliseu Manuel form the Angola West Annual Conference in Angola
Luke Miltz from the Great Plains Annual Conference in the United States
Katie Paul from the Oklahoma Annual Conference in the United States
Ryan Ware from the Virginia Annual Conference in the United States
Jennifer Weitzel from the Eastern Pennsylvania Annual Conference in United States.
UMEIT: Young Adult Network is one of six different United Methodist Ecumenical and Interreligious Trainings (UMEIT). All are outlined on the bishops webpage (www.unitedmethodistbishops.org). Search for UMEIT under the “Ecumenical” tab or contact Dr. Hawxhurst directly at jhawxhurst@umc-cob.org.
