A world without youth is a world without a future, and if the Church does not take care of its youth it is like a house built on sand. So what should be the attitude of the Church towards young people? For years, the Accra West District has been hosting a series of seminars for youth leaders and members in the area of Youth Care. The latest seminar was held on Saturday 27th November 2021 at the Accra Central church.

The seminar attracted close to 60 participants from all the congregations within the district. The leader of the facilitators, Deputy District Rector John Hammond, welcomed the youth and gave them a general overview of the seminar. He was assisted by a set of facilitators made up of ministers and youth leaders who took turns to address the gathering on some selected topics in the seminar booklet.

“The joy in the faith enables us to do every activity wholeheartedly. The joy in faith must be done in these 3 ways; love, faith and patience. Thus, you recognize God in every situation you find yourself when you have joy in the faith.” Deputy District Rector John Hammond expressed.
Priest William Teho spoke on the Situation of Young People. He mentioned some of the main challenges young people face through puberty and adolescence. There was a role-play during his lecture highlighting the importance of good parenting whereby parents do not force their children to attend Sunday school but rather convince them in a loving and caring manner.

The topic of the Expectation of the Youth and Youth Group was handled by Priest Benjamin Hanson-Sagoe. He encouraged the youth to be friendly towards one another, “do not be timid, speak out, foster togetherness, help each other, respect each other and participate in youth programs and activities.”

The Youth Leader for the district, Community Evangelist Francis Tay, touched on the Organization and Youth Structure within the church. He educated the youth on the right channels through which their concerns can be channeled. Also, he explained the roles of leaders within the youth hierarchy and how programs and activities are put together and approved.

Priest Edward Opoku divided the participants into 5 groups. Each group was tasked with coming forth with a proposal for a youth camp. The proposal was to include the location of the camp, activities and funding. A youth was selected in each group by members to lead the team. There was a presentation from each group where participants brought forth interesting ideas and suggestions for subsequent youth camps.

In conclusion, the seminar is an illustration that the District has not forgotten about its responsibility to care for the youth by educating them and promoting their growth. And also shows how the District is always available to help young people both to increase their wealth of knowledge of the New Apostolic doctrine and to rekindle the flame of their faith.