Upper Room Ministries offers ministry opportunity for children and youth

In late June of this year, United Methodist clergy in the Rio Grande Valley asked Upper Room Ministries and the General Board of Discipleship to develop a resource to help them minister to the children and youth now streaming to the United States from Central and South America. In response, Upper Room is producing a 24-page prayer booklet. This booklet, initially published in Spanish and tentatively entitled Dios Te Acompaña (God Is With You), will consist of written prayers, biblical paraphrases, guides to prayer in the contemplative tradition, and blank pages for reflection.

One of the main goals in this publication is to help children and youth throughout the world minister to one another. Upper Room is asking that our church children and youth paraphrase select biblical stories and craft prayers for migrants and refugees and submit them to Upper Room with contact information. In the event that publishers decide to publish one of the children’s prayers or paraphrases, they will need to gain their written permission and that of their parents or legal guardians before going to press.

The Rev. Dr. Tanya Eustace, Director of Children and Intergenerational Ministries at The General Board of Discipleship, has written instructions, intended to help teachers/leaders guide children in the creation of biblical paraphrases and prayers. Included therein are the biblical passages publishers would like your children and youth to respond to. We have also included sample responses.

Due to the production schedule, materials are needed on or before Monday, September 1, 2014. This will allow editorial and translation teams enough time to review each composition before publication. And please note that publishers will not be able to include every piece received.

Please confirm your participation by emailing Jeremy Bakker, Ph.D. with Upper Room Ministries at jbakker@gbod.org or by phone at (615) 340-7012 as soon as you are able.