The next generation of leaders are following in their fathers’ footsteps as they launch the first ever Young Christians One Day Conference 08 this Saturday.
The conference talks are being delivered by the 22-year-old youth leaders Jonny Robinson and Sam Manchester, who are the sons of St Paul's rector, the Rev Stuart Robinson and St Thomas', North Sydney rector, the Rev Simon Manchester, respectively.
The pair have contacted 1200 Sydney churches through Gospel Outreach Ministries, every Anglican School in Sydney and even churches in the Diocese of Newcastle and Canberra and Goulburn with conference details, and are hoping more than 100 people will attend this conference, which aims to equip young lay youth leaders.
Jonny, who is a youth group leader at St Paul's, says one reason for the conference - which will be held at St Paul’s Chatswood - is to build relationships with young Christians from other youth groups and churches.
"After talking with our senior youth members we realised that they didn't know a lot of Christians from around the place. They knew their fellow youth group members and a few Christians at school but that was it," Jonny says.
"We wanted to organise a day where people from all over the place get together and make new connections."
Jonny hopes to see this unity flow over into meaningful relationships that will be sustained long after the conference is over.
"We want to bridge the gap between different youth groups and create a lot more friendships between these young Christians," he says.
We are family
Sam Manchester, who has been a youth group leader at St Thomas' for four years, says that despite the relative of young age of himself and Jonny, he feels they are equipped to lead their first Christian youth conference.
"We are keeping with the model of church that the Bible sets us " a family caring for each other. We’re not claiming to be experts on everything, but we do know what the youth are going through right now and we’re looking out for our younger brothers and sisters in Christ," he says.
"We know first hand what it’s like to be a young person in youth group in the 21st century."
Jonny says the event will be like a larger and longer version of the St Paul's youth group, Friday Night Live.
"We will gather together to hear talks from the Bible, sing together, share four meals together and attend seminars. It will be eight hours of Christian unity."
Jonny and Sam will speak on the topic "Reality and the Cross'.
Visit the Friday Night Live website for more details.
