Episcopal Youth Corps Established

The 73rd General Convention of the Episcopal Church established the Episcopal Youth Corps. From 2001 through 2003 the Episcopal Church intends to send two dozen young adults as ambassadors from the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society to their partners in the Anglican Communion. Assignments will last approximately one year. Opportunities will involve service, reflection, mentoring by experienced missioners, and a deep engagement with the local culture and host church.

The program is available to any young Episcopalian -- no one over 30 -- who wants to spend a year serving the church beyond the USA and who has cross-cultural experience.

The Corps is looking for maturity, faith commitment, and a willingness to be a gracious ambassador, a humble guest, and an authentic companion.

Teaching, communications, administration, health, appropriate technology and youth ministry are the types of work to be done.
The ambassadors will be living out their faith in the company of others whose commitment will engage and inspire. They will be living with the people they serve; and they will be the catalyst for a living, growing companionship in the worldwide church.

To begin, the work will be in South Africa, the Philippines, Belize, Europe and Israel/Palestine. Missioners will be sent out twice a year, but applications can be sent at any time.

This project is being coordinated by the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society’s Volunteers for Mission program in consultation with Ministries with Young People cluster, Episcopal Society for Ministry in Higher Education, Episcopal Partnership for Global Mission, and Learning through Service program, Colleges and Universities of the Anglican Communion.

The Corps was conceived by the Standing Commission on Anglican and International Peace with Justice Concerns and presented to the 2000 General Convention in Denver as Resolution A007. Recognizing that the young people have “enormous gifts, great compassion, and a strong willingness to serve,” the commission challenged the church to empower young people “as disciples with their own ministries and their own experience of Jesus to share.” The proposal was received enthusiastically by the World Mission Committee and adopted with major funding.

Anyone interested in the programs should contact Young Adult Service Corps at missionworks@ecusa.anglican.org or 800.334.7626, ext. 6124.