Becoming a Peacemaker
Jason Boone
Peacemaking doesn’t have to wait. This seminar will encourage sponsors to equip youth to practice
peacemaking in family, school and community. Encouraging youth to be peacemakers in their own
context prepares them to be peacemakers into adulthood. Churchwide Priority Connection: Holistic
Witness
 Friday, 3:00 - 4:00, 121C
Claiming Faith
Mary Ann Weber
What do Mennonites really believe about God or Jesus? How do we practice discipleship? Why do we
make peace? What does baptism mean? These topics and more are covered in the church’s Confession
of Faith. A panel discussion will talk about how to share core Mennonite beliefs with youth and engage
them in conversations about what we believe and why. Come and explore our faith and how to
communicate it with the youth of your congregation. Churchwide Priority Connection: Christian
Formation
 Friday, 4:15 - 5:15, 125B
Crucial Conversations
Kent Miller
Some topics or conversations are not easy to engage with youth, yet they are crucial in a young person’s
formation. We will discuss what those tough ones are and how we can be more prepared to address
these crucial conversations in a youth group setting or one to one. Churchwide Priority Connection:
Christian Formation
 Thursday, 4:15 - 5:15, 128A
The Future of Mennonite Youth Ministry: Drawing From the Past
Bob Yoder
Discover how Mennonite youth ministry has evolved over the past century. Having our feet firmly
planted in our recent history will help us navigate the years ahead. Churchwide Priority Connection:
Leadership Development
 Tuesday, 3:00 - 4:00, 126C
Implementing a Distinctively Anabaptist Youth Ministry
Randy Keeler
Are Mennonite youth ministries different from youth ministries of other denominational and nondenominational churches? Should they be different? If so, what makes them different? The presenter
will suggest key characteristics of a distinctively Anabaptist Mennonite youth ministry and how it might
best be implemented. Churchwide Priority Connection: Leadership Development
 Thursday, 4:15 - 5:15, 126B
Leading and Struggles
Kent Miller
Doubts, confusion, pain and anger. What do you do when you face personal struggles and still need to
lead and teach youth? Churchwide Priority Connection: Christian Formation
 Tuesday, 3:00 - 4:00, 128A
Reading the Bible with Youth
Rachel Miller Jacobs
Those working with junior and senior high youth are sometimes reluctant to engage them in serious
Bible reading. Yet young people are not only ready for this work but desperately need it if they are to
grow in faith. As they mature in intellect and spirit, approaches to the Bible that worked well when they
were in grade school become thin. This seminar will outline a variety of tested Bible reading strategies
that can energize biblical engagement with youth. Churchwide Priority Connection: Christian Formation
 Tuesday, 4:15 - 5:15, 128B
Revisiting God’s Story, Our Story
Michele Hershberger
Given our postmodern world, how do we faithfully guide persons who are considering baptism? How do
we connect in new ways, especially with youth, without changing the important biblical values and
beliefs of our Anabaptist faith? Join Michele Hershberger in a conversation on catechism and
postmodern youth and get a glimpse at her updated book “God’s Story, Our Story” (Herald Press).
Churchwide Priority Connection: Christian Formation
 Friday, 4:15 - 5:15, 122A
Short-term Mission and Service Trips: Finding the Best Way to Help Mutually
Heidi Aspinwall
Is there value in short-term mission trips? What are the challenges? How do we encourage our group—
and ourselves—to serve and learn in settings where we must be open to being changed? Churchwide
Priority Connection: Holistic Witness
 Thursday, 3:00 - 4:00, 127C
Sponsor Best Practices
Merv Stoltzfus and Jon Heinly
Bring your best ideas and come with your best questions for the best interactive conversation about
building your youth group. Churchwide Priority Connection: Christian Formation
 Tuesday, 3:00 - 4:00, 126B
Who’s In? Who’s Out? Where’s the “We”?
Judy H. Mullet
Whenever two or more gather together, coalitions form. Some members are “in” and some “out.” How
can we live into Matthew 18:20: “I am there whenever two or more are gathered in my name”? How
does the Spirit work restoratively within group conflict? This workshop will build on restorative
principles outlined in the Jonah story and explore the art of coming together. Churchwide Priority
Connection: Christian Formation
 Friday, 3:00 - 4:00, 126A
Will the Real Youth Please Stand Up
Scott Roth
So many circles of friends and ways to fit in plague our youth today. It’s time to talk and be purposeful
with our youth ministries. Learn practical ways to disarm their defenses and get to the hearts that God
wants to touch. Let’s create authentic faith communities. Churchwide Priority Connection: Christian
Formation
 Tuesday, 4:15 - 5:15, 121A
Youth Ministry with a Plan: Matching “How” with “Why”
Shana Peachy Boshart
Most churches don’t have job descriptions or clearly defined goals for youth sponsors. We are just
supposed to know what to do. In this seminar, we’ll start with the “why” of youth group, identify goals
that fit your group, and begin to create a plan for next year. Bring your whole leadership group,
including your student leaders. Churchwide Priority Connection: Christian Formation
 Thursday, 3:00 - 4:00, 122A