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New Fire 2009, Building the New Fire Information and Application!

New Fire 2009 participants can look forward to an inclusive program that seeks to connect ecumenically engaged young adults who value the work of Christian unity through discussion, worship and leadership training. Participants will be introduced to the history and tradition of Christian ecumenism, and work together to identify the strengths and challenges of the current young adult ecumenical movement in the US. Significant time will be given to experiential and inclusive worship, devotions and common prayer, as well as leadership training for young adults to practice ecumenism in their local contexts. Intentional time will be set aside for small group discussion, and participants will be encouraged to reflect creatively on their experience through media and social online networking. It is hoped that all participants will find their experience spiritually enriching and intellectually challenging, and will come away from New Fire with new friends in Christ, committed to furthering the purpose and goals of New Fire for the good of Christian unity everywhere.

We have a wonderful planning team of a dozen young adults who are working together to ensure this year's New Fire gathering builds upon last year's momentum. While the young adult ecumenical scene has changed considerably over the past year, our purpose and goals with New Fire have become more focused and refined. We believe that the crucial work of building and sustaining an inclusive and increasingly expansive young adult ecumenical movement in the US requires us to prepare and empower young adult leaders for ecumenical work on the local level. We further believe that greater connection to the goals and aims of the National Council of Churches, Church World Service, the World Council of Churches, and the World Student Christian Federation, and many other ecumenical initiatives will help bring greater efficiency and cohesion to our work together as young adults, and for the greater ecumenical movement as a whole.

Official New Fire 2009 programming will begin at 9am on Saturday morning, November 7th and will continue through Monday afternoon at 4pm, November 9th. We encourage where possible for participants to stay through the opening day of the NCC/CWS General Assembly for the young adult led worship and New Fire presentation on Tuesday evening, November 10th. Registered participants will be given a more specific schematic of New Fire 2009, as well as numerous preparatory resources a few weeks before the gathering.

The attached application provides all of the needed logistical information about the New Fire gathering. Please note that we are asking participants to arrive on Friday evening, November 6th into Minneapolis and depart after 4pm on Monday November 9th if possible. Participants are encouraged where possible however to stay through the young adult led worship and New Fire presentation as a part of the GA on Tuesday evening, November 10th. The registration feel is $50, and will include all meals from Saturday morning through Monday afternoon. There is specific information on hotel arrangements in the application. Please note that the registration deadline is Oct. 23rd!!

Please feel free to email or call David Fraccaro, Young Adult Ecumenical Formation Coordinator with the NCC, USA if you have any questions or concerns. dfraccaro@ncccusa.org 212-870-2192

*For more info on the NCC/CWS 2009 General Assembly, please visit www.ncccusa.org/ga2009 and www.ncccusa.org/ga2009/links.htm

NCC Photo by Kathleen Cameron.