VALLEY FORGE, PA (ABNS 12/20/19)—Leadership of the Young Adult Caucus of American Baptist Churches USA (ABCUSA) met November 8 at the American Baptist Home Mission Societies Leadership and Mission Building for a meeting of transition in leadership. The Young Adult Caucus became a recognized Caucus of the denomination in November 2016 at a Board of General Ministries meeting and has been gathering together and holding events at national gatherings since that time. In attendance at the meeting was new Caucus Chair Rev. Dr. Dan Brockway (from Rochester/Genesee Region), Rev. Kathryn Ray (BGM Director representing Metro Chicago), Rev. Dr. Don Ng (Caucus mentor and encourager), Tasha Wilson (retiring BGM director and past Chair of the Caucus) and Rev. Sarah Strosahl–Kagi (ABHMS partner).

Time was spent in prayer and relationship building as the group envisioned the future and position of the Young Adult Caucus within the denomination. The current status of young adult ministries in the denomination at the national level was discussed and the group considered the loss of many programs that in part created and helped to form the next generation of leaders that now serve within ABCUSA. The group is interested in calling additional members to the leadership team and are exploring ideas at this time to have fuller diversity in representation.

Planning is in the early stages for an event to be held at the Biennial Mission Summit in 2021 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Lastly, the group spent time talking about a relationship with ABHMS Emerging Leaders and wanting to find ways to partner with Rev. Strosahl-Kagi in the future.

Retiring BGM Director, Tasha Wilson shared, “I am thrilled about the future direction of the Young Adult Caucus as it moves forward with fresh vision and leadership in exploring their advocacy in this denomination for our next generation leadership in ABC Life.”

American Baptist Churches USA is one of the most diverse Christian denominations today, with approximately 5,000 congregations comprised of 1.3 million members, across the United States and Puerto Rico, all engaged in God’s mission around the world.