Student Forum in Saint-Petersburg. February 2010

Read about Student Forum – article by Anton Kuzmin

Learn the facts – General Information

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Student Forum in Saint-Petersburg. February 2010.

 

Anton Kuzmin

 

Each year I’m very excited when we start preparations for Student Forum. Each year I have certain expectations – I have concerns, questions, joys, thanks, doubts, wishes and each year I feel that Forum will help me to become more patient, make me better disciple of Jesus, renews my faith etc.

This year I had the same feelings. And you know what – it never happened to become true. This year was my second time at Forum. Comparing with my first experience I notice that God works in different ways for me. I can’t put this into words but the feeling is quite new. It’s like brand new door has been opened for me. I attended wonderful lectures, so deep and wise and easy to comprehend that you feel like all the people around you are inspired. Forum was wonderful time to share my faith in a small group and listen to stories of my brothers and sisters. Forum opened the Bible in a new way for me and some chapters become very clear. I met new friends, and understood myself better. I trust that God was with us every single day. Forum is the time when our souls soar together and Spirit reveals our hidden talents so we find new way of worship.
I think that even though Forum has special theme that goes thru all events, on each individual it applies unique influence and folks return back to their churches with different ideas, renewed in spirit and bold for something they never felt they would do. So, it doesn’t matter what you expect from the Forum. God gives you exactly what you need, even though you may not notice it at first. Because He is our loving Father and I’m so glad that He gathers us, so different and beautiful in Him, to make us better disciples of Jesus Christ.

General information about Forum:

In the year 2005 Youth Council of North-west Russia and Belarus AC (Eurasia UMC) initiated to organize Annual Student Forum “You are the light of the world”. The main purpose of this forum is to nurture young adult leaders for church ministry. 5 Forums has been held since that time, and its popularity grows, as well as the number of participants: 30 participants in 2005, 53 participants in 2010.

We invite student leaders and potential Eurasia Methodist church leaders (aged 18-30) to take part in this forum which is held at the end of January each year. During six years of this project more than 230 young people from Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Lithuania, USA and Kyrgyzstan took part in our forum. Most of them come every year in order to learn new ideas and to get inspiration for their ministry and to share their experience.
Since we organize the forum on regular basis, it provides a long-term program for nurturing young adult leasers. This Forum is the only project for young adults throughout all Eurasia that answers for the call of Eurasia United Methodist Church to nurture young adult leaders.

Forum organizers issue the following challenges:

Education – to teach the principles of leadership and give ministry skills

Spiritual formation – to strengthen faith

Sharing experience in the ministry and church programs

Final cause – to nurture young adult leaders for effective church ministry.

To accomplish the first challenge we invite experienced pastors and youth leaders who share their knowledge and practical skills during the lectures and workshops. We organized the following workshops: worship, liturgy dance, creative worship service, media ministry at the church, Christian camps organization, Bible study group organization, psychology of the conflict etc.

Every day revival worship, testimonies, devotions and Wesleyan group meeting help to accomplish the second challenge.

Participants are able to share their experience through young adult programs presentations which are held in local churches.

 

	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010
Dates	3	3	4	3	4	4
Number of participants	22	42	43	43	43	42
Team	8	8	8	9	13	11
Cities	8	16	16	16	17	17

 

 

Russia

1. St. Petersburg

2. Moscow

3. Samara

4. Voronezh

5. Ulyanovsk

6. Arkhangelsk

7. Pskov

8. Satka

9. Tyumen

10. Komsomolsk-na-Amur

11. Krasnodar

12. Yekaterinburg

13. Pervouralsk

14. Tomsk

15. Novokuibyshevsk

16. Stavropol

17. Pyatigorsk

18. Novgorod

19. Vologda

20. Kirov

Ukraine

1. Lugansk

Belarus

1. Lida

2. Krichev

Kyrgyzstan

1. Bishkek

Kazakhstan

1. Pavlodar

2. Almaty

Litvania:

1. Vilnus

USA:

1. New York

2. Nashwill

Videos about vision 2015