New Fire 2009 : Building the New Fire
Nov 06-10, 2009, Double Tree Hotel, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Report by
William Tolentino
President, National United Methodist Young Adult Fellowship in the Philippines
Member, Division on Ministries with Young People

The New Fire gathering is a Christian ecumenical forum for current and future young adult leaders of different denominations and ecumenical initiatives which establishes a common space for:

-relationship building
-ecumenical formation and education
-leadership training
-sharing of resources and best practices
-strategic planning

New Fire participants are called by Christ into relationships of reconciling prayer and mutual accountability, understanding that our unity in Christ is not the end goal but the beginning of engagement in the world. We as participants are were asked to be willing to enter into critical self and group examination regarding our various cultural/theological/religious/racial/class and biases; and to open ourselves to the different expressions of our common faith through open dialogue and worship together.

The New Fire gathering empowers young adults with the tools to build the capacity and stretch the boundaries of the ecumenical movement in North America, in the whole USA and into the whole world. New Fire participants are especially committed to empowering cooperative networks of local, grassroots young adult ecumenical initiatives that can connect to the larger facilitating bodies of the National Council of Churches, Church World Service, World Council of Churches and World Student Christian Federation.

The goals of the New Fire are:

1. Connect, and build relationships with numerous young adult leaders and the communion/initiatives they represent, considering common resources and exploring potential partnerships into the future.
2. Expand the New Fire movement to include under-represented member communions as well as previously unconnected initiatives and communions/denominations outside the NCC/CWS; ensuring ways to maintain these relationships into the future.
3. Engage in critical group and self examination through open dialogue, common prayer and creative worship; affirming differences, while reconciling participants to their oneness with Christ.
4. Explore existing, as well as potential models of young adult ecumenism on the local level; empowering young adult leadership in the grassroots level.
5. Provide crucial education and formation opportunities for participants to learn the basics of ecumenical history, including its theological/biblical roots; reflecting on ecumenism’s past, while envisioning for the future, as well as providing creative worship space in which participants can experience the traditions and expressions of their fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.
6. Integrate use of innovative media and social networking to sustain communication and network relations beyond the New Fire gathering: sharing our commitments and experience to ecumenically engaged young adults who were not able to be present at the New Fire and finding ways for them to connect into the young adult ecumenical movement.

Through discussion, worship and other creative activities, we experienced an inclusive program that connected us all into putting value to the work of Christian unity. New Fire introduced to us the history and tradition of ecumenism as well as its strengths and challenges . The United Methodist Church in Philadelphia and the Mother Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church were cited as one classic example of Christian unity.

Intentional times were dedicated to small group discussions and we were encouraged to reflect creatively on our experiences in the ecumenical movement in our own local churches or denominations. As the UMC-DMYP representative, I shared the following experiences:

-Ecumenical involvements with the National Council of Churches in the Philippines
-Ecumenical involvements with the Christian Conference of Asia
-Ecumenical involvements with the Asian Methodist Young People Network
-Local initiatives I conducted in my province in October of 2009 where 10 young people groups from different churches/denominations were gathered for ecumenical worship and lunch reception, Mural painting contest and youth praise band festival which was attended by almost one thousand people.

I arrived in St Paul Minnesota in Nov 06 and was met in the airport by young adults from the Church of All Nations. Official program started in Nov 07 and I was warmly welcomed and received by the group. At first, I felt I was “out-of-place” because I was the only participant coming from Asia. Later, I was considered an international delegate

I met several friends from different denominations. I also met some staff who are United Methodists. African Methodists are very friendly. The New Fire gathering was dominated by Methodists (when UMCs and AMEs were combined…) It was my first time to meet a young adult who is a member of the Quaker Church. Later, he became my room mate. Mr. David Fraccarro- the chairman of the New Fire gave me a real welcome to the gathering.

We had nice times with each other- especially when we eat outside of the hotel. We were able to tear down the walls that separate us from our religious backgrounds and walked the chilly roads of Minnesota as one big happy family!

We had a good time worshipping with a beautiful Presbyterian congregation named “Church of All Nations” and I was blest to be chosen to be one of three who shall share their testimonies about the New Fire before the huge crowd. After lunch we had another time with some of the members sharing their experiences and best practices as a truly diverse yet united church.

I was given the opportunity to share a song before the delegates and so I taught them the song “For All the World” which was well-loved by everyone.

We were given some materials such as:

1. Study Guide for Adult Christian Education: Just Climate
2. Faith Principles on Global Warming
3. Guidelines for Good Dialogue
4. Handbook for Participants in Local Ecumenical Dialogue

We were given the chance to contribute also to the “Ecumenism of All Ages Fund” according to our age and I shared $100- not to represent my current age but to represent my desired age in this world.

Finally, we were asked to accomplish the following on a partner-partner basis:

1. What are the 3 things you will do in order to share New Fire with others?
1. Continue to involve myself with the Ecumenical Movement in the Philippines
2. Spread the Ecumenical Movement with the Division on Ministries with Young People
3. Continue what I have started in my local province in strengthening the Ecumenical Young Adult Network.

2. Who are the 3 persons/group of people you will share New Fire with?
1. My Pastor and the congregation where I am worshiping
2. The National Council of the United Methodist Young Adult Fellowship in the Philippines
3. Rev. Mike Ratliff and the DMYP members

3. Name 3 ways on how you will accomplish these initiatives.
1. Make a congregational campaign and include the Ecumenical movement in the agenda of our National Council meetings
2. Refresh connections with ecumenical young people locally and globally through emails, correspondences, visits and social networking
3. Invite the New Fire chairperson to create awareness on Ecumenical Movement to the forthcoming Global Young People’s Convocation in Germany by addressing the delegates as well as setting up a booth that shall showcase some campaign materials for young people leaders around the world.

I thank the DMYP, the NCC-New Fire Staff and all people who contributed so that my attendance to this spiritually enriching and intellectually challenging gathering will be possible. I am especially blest for having new sets of new friends from New Fire. I am committed to furthering the purposes and goals of New Fire for the good of Christian unity everywhere!