Asbury Temple United Methodist Church

Asbury Temple United Methodist Church has a deep history of community involvement and intergenerational leadership. The Durham, N.C. congregation played a big role in the Civil Rights Movement, and is now encouraging youth and young adults in the community to explore their own roles as potential future leaders with several program components they have identified as “Leading Change.”

One of the Leading Change initiatives builds on a summer camp for children and youth, launched in 2008, which provided free breakfast and lunch, bible study, fun activities and an environment where young people could experience the love of Christ. With the help of a Cultures of Call grant from The Fund for Theological Education, Asbury Temple expanded the work of the camp to allow church and community members to develop deeper relationships with children and youth, and to foster conversations about vocation. “We set aside specific time for personal reflection and service,” said current Youth Minister Sarah Stockton Howell. “Our youth have responded enthusiastically.”
Howell took on the role of youth minister in 2008, in the midst of growth for the program. She was tasked with continuing to create a space – literally and figuratively – for youth to explore calling in their lives.

“Not only are we building a space for our young people,” said Senior Pastor Shane Benjamin, “we’re providing creative outlets for leadership.”

Asbury Temple is encouraging youth to explore calling and leadership in the following areas:

• Worship
• Community 
• Mentoring

Worship

Youth are taking on more leadership roles in worship by reading scripture and helping serve Communion each Sunday. “Every fifth Sunday, youth actually lead worship for our congregation,” Benjamin said.

Community

The youth group at Asbury Temple is also reaching out to other area youth, as evidenced by a summer partnership with Reconciliation United Methodist Church, a predominately Hispanic congregation. Asbury youth have also connected with teens from other area churches that might not have a strong youth program. “When our young members interact with others from different backgrounds and different worldviews, they expand their own questions and thoughts about identity and calling,” Howell said.

Mentoring

Asbury Temple is preparing to formally initiate a mentoring program, which will include mentors and “grand-mentors,” further establishing multi-generational participation. “Our mentors will have mentors,” said Howell. “Our hope is that by establishing a very intentional program, both youth and adults will feel encouraged and supported.” Theological reflection among those mentors and mentees has already begun to spark conversations around vocational calling.

“I recently witnessed one of the youth leading his blind grandparent into the church building, and thought it was a fitting image of the Leading Change program,” Benjamin said. “We have a vision for the future, and our teens are leading the way.”