We, the undersigned, petition Methodist Conference to resist the cuts in funding for national youth work.
| Name | Comment |
| Sarah Deakin | Some of my best memories are of working with a local MYC and of London Weekend- met some great people! |
| Hazel Towle | The youth of today are the future of Methodism. Youth work is important if Methodism is to survive. |
| Phil Henly | The youth are the future of the church, we need them and for that they need us! |
| Ann Williams | |
| Wendy Forman | Youth work is vital to the Methodist Church and to the young people of Britain. We cannot fail in our mission in teh 21st century. |
| Bekky Alston | Whats the point of closing it down?!? |
| Jennifer Wareing | Without the youth in the church TODAY there will be no church tomorrow! |
| Elizabeth Pickles | |
| Elizabeth Pickles | |
| Matthew Gorst | |
| Edith Gorst | |
| Brian Gorst | No Youth in the Church today No Church Tomorrow |
| Whilma Kelsall | |
| Andrew Gorst | |
| Christine Ashford | Surely we should be putting more effort into reaching out to young people, not less. |
| Yvonne Wood | |
| Flo Owens | |
| Ken Scoble | |
| David Hellyer | |
| David Germany | Seeing how children/youth work within our churches has declined in the last 20 years sure the nationally we should be increasing resources in this area rather than cutting them. |
| Martyn Greatorex | What would Jesus say!If the Methodist Church doesn't try to reach young people, who will? |
| Janet Rogerson | Young people need to learn of God’s saving grace. We can’t achieve this without people who understand today’s youth. |
| Polly Vernon | |
| Eileen Hogan | |
| Matthew Ould-Oram | |
| Matthew Ould-Oram | |
| Rex Oram and Joy Oram | |
| Elizabeth Ould-Oram | Our young people are the future Church; they need more not fewer workers. |
| Peter Green | no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no.
I've read the proposals and they're horrible.
Don't do it. |
| John F.Scowen | |
| S Guinn | Since attending MC for the last so many years the youth groups should keep continuing as a church. |
| Anna Dunipace | |
| Emma Wright | |
| Zachary Pointon | |
| Lucy Honeychurch | |
| Alan Davis | We must protect the future of Metodism |
| Jeremy English | My journey to local preacher started in MAYC....encouragement, not abandonment |
| Andrew Butler | The faith of this age group needs encouragement. What a short sighted approach. |
| Brian Hambleton | |
| Jean Hill | We need to encourage the young people, not discourage them |
| Ann Angus | |
| Alan Thompson | We need to encourage not discourage the faith of this age group |
| Ann Hill | We need to encourage the faith of this age group |
| Alan Jefferson | |
| audrey rummeli | work with young people is vital |
| audrey rummeli | work with young people is vital |
| hermann rummeli | work among young people is vital |
| Gary Setterfield | If the church is to continue and grow year after year, it is the youth of today who will have the innovative ideas and the direction needed to attract the youth of tomorrow thus enabling continued development and growth.
With the use of internet and new technology, which the youth fully embrace, these are the young people who can spread the church's word quicker and farther than ever before. |
| Tanya Setterfield | Is the youth of today not the Church of tomorrow? this proposal is insane! Are we not supposed to be making the church more open to everyone, especially children. Are we trying to kill the church off or are we trying to help it grow with new ideas, life and direction? is it not the youth of the past which has brought the church to the place that it is today, so therfore is not the youth of today that will carry the church forward into tomorrow. |
| Diane Colthorpe | we need to encourage work with our young people or our churches will die out |
| Ian R Morris | |
| Carolyn A Morris | Good youth work needs good leaders and organisers. |
| Andy Robotham | |
| Mick Chilver | |
| Joyce Chilver | Any youth work is crucial it's very important and should not be cut |
| John Kenneth Green | I want to be a part of the Youth Work Team when I am older. Please don't get rid of it. |
| Carol Mary Green | |
| Belinda Ferguson | We need more youth workers who have a crucial role, not less |
| John Allen Green | |
| Lynette Benton | |
| C Lune | This is vital work the youth are our future |
| C Walker | |
| F D Walker | We need more not less |
| E Salisbury | |
| Judith Jarmi | |
| Gim Bloomer | More youth workers needed |
| Don Barnard | |
| Derek Perks | |
| Shirley Perks | |
| Onil Wilkinson-Jones | |
| Susan Batty | |
| Hannah Batty | |
| L Penn | Providence |
| Sue Hill | No! No! No! Youth work + workers are the future for the m. church |
| Katherine Barnard | We need to grow, not reduce |
| Roy Barnard | Ask yourself where you would be now without your youth workers! |
| Doreen Price | I echo the thoughts of others |
| Linda Adams | Youth is the future. We need these youth workers. |
| Wayne Hart | Without these young youth workers how will God's kingdom grow? |
| Helen Humphries | Where would our future be? |
| Sally Picton | We can't afford to lose this essential part of outreach from our churches |
| B Astwi | |
| Ian Grove | |
| John Butler | Essential to keep up + preferably increase youthwork |
| E Greening | Needs more not less |
| Julia Campbell | |
| M Beasley | Youth is our future church. Do not cut this vital work |
| W S Parker | Young people life blood of church |
| M Jenkins | We need YOUNG in our churches |
| L Shimpton | We need to encourage the youth our future |
| M Mallett | Not less than 10 |
| Heather Trevis | We need more not less |
| Kenneth Mallett | Rediculous |
| Jonathan Sutton | Too Drastic |
| Jacqueline Hill | Youth work v. much needed |
| D Woodhouse | Youth work v. much needed |
| K Heart | Youth work v. much needed |
| Doreen Cox | Youth work v. much needed |
| J Woodhouse | Youth work v. much needed |
| M Sohall | Youth work v. much needed |
| A Thompson | Youth work v. much needed |
| A P Bolter | |
| B J Bolter | |
| F Webb | Youth work v. much needed
|
| L Newson | Very Drastic |
| A Dickens | Very Drastic |
| I Dickens | Very Drastic |
| A Hobson | Youth is the church future |
| M Hobson | |
| Pearl Worton | |
| Joyce Chist | Too drastic |
| Roy Brettell | No youth work spells "THE END" |
| Barbera Brettell | Very necessary |
| Mario Thompson | Very necessary |
| Margarest Little | Youth is the church future! |
| Martyn Filsk | It's about making disciples |
| Mary Stevens | Too drastic |
| Jean Filiak | Rather drastic |
| Keith Bradley | |
| J Burgess | |
| B Evans | |
| R Evans | |
| B Kirton | |
| B Woodhouse | |
| I Billingham | |
| E Billingham | |
| W M McBain | |
| J Tyler | |
| P Fisher | |
| G Tyler | |
| John Davies | |
| Audrey Davies | |
| Shirley Hollington | |
| P L Westwood | |
| Stuart Alston | |
| Laura Alston | |
| Chris | |
| A Pryce | |
| Emma Alston | |
| Aline Niacahyb | |
| Elizabeth Pursell | |
| E Bartlett | |
| N Pickering | |
| D Shotton | |
| Joyce Howarth | |
| L Barker | |
| P Valera | |
| Sandra Smale | WWJD |
| Joy Windsor | |
| Ann Haigh | |
| R E Reed | |
| K Windsor | |
| K Eastwood | |
| D R Parker | |
| Dawn Sutcliffe | |
| J M Fox | |
| M E Rawes | |
| B Harrison | |
| O H Bryant | Gute Arbut |
| P J Bryant | Good work |
| Don Spivey | Wrong priorities? |
| S Winn | Our future |
| Brian Shotton | Our future |
| Iris Diggle | Yes!! |
| George Tench | Fight the good fight! |
| Mary Tench | Fight the good fight! |
| C. Yates | Our Future |
| R G Hodkinson | Our Future |
| James McKnight | |
| John Bamford | Where on earth is the Methodist Church going! |
| Shirley Ford | |
| J Thompson | |
| Audrey Browne | There is a definitely a need |
| Susanne Jay | There is a great need! |
| Pauline Simpson | |
| Penny Franklin | The youth of the church are the church is its future. |
| Patricia Pickett | What sort of message does this give to children? They are the future of the church |
| Russell Pciket | |
| Martin Middleton | |
| Helen Middleton | |
| E A Peacop | Work amongst young people is a priority |
| M Peacop | Work amongst young people is a priority |
| J Speirs | Work amongst young people is a priority |
| D Scales | Work amongst young people is a priority |
| M Datton | Work amongst young people is a priority |
| K Cantery | Work amongst young people is a priority |
| M J Breton | Work amongst young people is a priority |
| Celia Weirich | Work amongst young people is a priority |
| Charles Weirich | Work amongst young people is a priority |
| Doris Daigle | Work amongst young people is a priority |
| Mr Alan G Coombe | Work amongst young people is a priority |
| Hazel Roethenbaugh | During your deliberations, please consider who will be sitting in 'your seat' in 10 - 15 years time. Without the long term suport needed it could be empty! |
| John Evans | |
| Lesley Butterworth | Please think again - children and young people are very important |
| Sam Legg | MAYC LETS GO :D |
| Mary Neve | |
| Matthew Logan | |
| Andrew Logan | |
| Ron Germany | |
| Joan Germany | |
| Anne Perkin | I want there to be Youth work for my new grandson to benefit from |
| M Smith | |
| M Adams | |
| C Badger | |
| Y Badger | |
| M Paly | |
| S H Taley | |
| J R Price | |
| G Dunn | |
| J Awell | |
| N Billington | |
| M N Palme | |
| D Pearson | |
| Amy Nock | |
| Christine E Perry | |
| J Deraten | |
| Pat Withers | |
| Margaret Bradley | |
| Debbie Westwood | |
| Angus Alston | |
| Beth Robinson | |
| M Blunt | |
| J Bate | |
| S Callard | |
| J Jones | |
| Jeff Coley | |
| Mary Coley | Youth work is vital to the future of the church |
| P A Smith | |
| David Smith | |
| Muriel Woodhouse | |
| Judith Ramsay | |
| M Guest | |
| S Smith | |
| J Smith | |
| P Billingsham | |
| Margaret Hill | |
| Pamela Green | |
| Margaret Poole | |
| Malcolm Poole | |
| Brian Tromans | |
| Marjorie Tromans | |
| Janet Brennan | |
| Audrey Pruckton | |
| Anne Pearson | |
| Brenda Holyoake | |
| Doreen Bending | It's most important |
| Margaret Steven | Youth work - most important part of any organisation |
| Betty Carey | |
| Jessie W Neely | |
| P Mills | |
| R. Starling | Methodist Youth Work has always been a good support. We want it to continue |
| T. Bentley | The youth are the church of tomorrow |
| Shane Hannam | We need the youth to be the congregation of tomorrow |
| Richard Boden | Youth work is essential for the future of a church and also in reaching out to people of all ages. Young people not only atract other young people but people of all ages. Old people don't attract young people. People need to see that the church is alive, that God is alive - not that it is slowly dying. |
| Stephen Brandon | I'm in the construction industry - when building a house you put at least 33% of the work into the foundations. Surely the youth are the 'foundations' of the church. There will be NOTHING to build on in years to come if you don't get the foundations right! Get real don't cut the youth work or you'll be cutting bums on seats in the churche, now and in the future! Our Lord knew the need for youth in the church - what makes us so blinded by money and figures that we think we know better than he does? Should those with the figures in front of them be asking Him if he wants this to happen? I really believe he would be interest in the future of the church - don't you? |
| Mr David Robinson | As all the other comments |
| Jonathan Page | These cuts to youth & children's work within the Methodist Connexion are a disgrace to OUR CHURCH. Methodist Conference MUST see sense and ensure that this work is fully supported into the future or, quite simply, the Church will die. Surely the church leaders must understand that? |
| carla johnson | as below |
| janet johnson | as below |
| peter johnson | as below |
| paul johnson | Please vote against the cuts. |
| Allan Wendelken (Rev) | I fully acknowledge the importance of Church Youth Work and encourage sufficient funding |
| Sylvia Horsley | As an ex Methodist youth worker and District Youth Sec. Iknow the value of the Methodist Team and cannot imagine coping without their support. |
| Doug & Freda Wendelken | As youth leaders(pre 1986)Hornsey N.8. we spent many happy times with young people-weekly&MAYC Weekends.Still in touch with some. |
| Christine Venables | |
| Ronald Farnsworth | |
| Vic Horsley | The future of the
Methodist Church is in the hands of our young people |
| Deb Westwell | |
| Lyn Price | |
| Berni Booth | |
| Ray Harrowing | I couldn't believe what I was reading! The proposals will do untold harm not only to the Church of today but into the future. |
| Terry Salter | Invest do not cut. |
| Ruth Windsor | We need the people to teach the youth |
| M Clay | Is Methodism for people? Youth are people. |
| J Clay | Is Methodism for people? Youth are people. |
| S Chadwick | Young people are the future |
| J Lanstone | We need youth work for the church to continue |
| B Lanstone | Support fully the work among youth |
| M Brooks | Build the youth to build the church |
| Lawrence Kenwardy | The only way forward |
| Julie-Ann Stallwood | We need more people because it's people work |
| Max Leslie | I'm a youth worker. More are needed, not less. |
| Dr M P Bruce | Young people are the future church! |
| A M Lockie | |
| C Gater | |
| B Franklin | |
| Amy Jones | |
| Geoff Clarke | |
| Mabel Atkinson | |
| Barbara Whitfield | |
| Julia Whitfield | |
| E Harrison | |
| Bert Rigby | |
| Margaret Edkins | |
| Margaret Strong | We need to provide up to date resources for the young people |
| Janet Stott | |
| Richard Cobbett | |
| Lesley Clarke | The youth are the churches' future and are here now |
| Brian Norwood | I have been involved with youth work over the years and always supported MAYC. I have written a letter to the Recorder expressing my views. Whether or not it is printed we shall wait and see.
Good luck and God Bless. |
| Mary Howles | |
| David Howles | |
| Christina Crow | There needs to be much more for the 19+ agegroup. God does nt ignore any group. |
| Alison Littleford | Please reconsider this proposal - if the church is to survive it needs young people. |
| Mrs Elaine Turner | |
| Justin Coldstream | |
| Alan Braithwaite | Methodists need the youngsters = they are our future |
| Les Richardson | |
| Margaret Oultram | |
| Peter Summers | |
| Jan Summers | No cuts in this area please. |
| Hannah Mitchelmore | um... ... ...
no comment? |
| G. J. Easton | How will the Methodist Church be supporting its work amongst children and young people. |
| Rev Jenie Hurd | |
| Alllan J Lowe | Extremely shortsighted proposal re Youth and Children's work. |
| Alan Tokeley | These young people need us --those that ARE reached are the future church!!! |
| Rev Andre Collenette | |
| M. simmons | |
| Pat Bowker | Young people are the very ones who need our help and support |
| Derek Clegg | Youth work is essential to the future of the Church. Don't jeopordise it. |
| Paul Burgin | |
| Roger Steward | Our churches are already - for the most part - very short of children and young people. Please don't make the situation worse! |
| Marjie Fleming | children are the future of the Methodist Church,we need to encourage both workers and children not make them feel second best |
| Louise Atkinson | |
| Karin Cox | We cannot afford to sign away the future of the church! And must be prepared to trust the young people to take it into new realms. |
| John Cox | |
| Margaret Oxenham | Surely this is a vital outreach and our way to share the faith with the youth of today. |
| Sheila Shaw | |
| Sarah Blamire | |
| Sally Thornton | Yet again, the Methodist Church is shooting itself in the foot!!! If there is a chance of reversing this decision/thinking/mindset, please take it! |
| Margaret Brown | |
| Kerensa Welsby | |
| Paul Harris | Youth work is the most important initiative at our church and requires central support |
| Caroline | |
| Ann Ford | |
| Mike Thornton | How are we supposed to grow a new church with no support from the centre. Presumably you want the church to die out. |
| David Healing | The work national HQ did when I was younger was key in my continued involvment in church through my teens and twenties. A scaled down HQ would be a lost opportunity for those in future years. |
| Joan Robertson | Youth work would need to be increased not decreased |
| Mark Warburton | I'd be nowhere today without the opportunities afforded to me by the youth work of the Methodist Church |
| Wendy Humphris | It's a case of looking after the pennies, the youth are our pennies |
| Adam Hawkes | National Youth work is an essential part of giving young people a sense of belonging to the wider church. Even if there aren't many young people locally. Training local youth workers is also essential. Funding must NOT be cut. |
| Geoff Foster | One of the last things to be cut back is the Church's future |
| Jenny Cook | |
| David Banks | now is the time to step up a gear not close down! |
| Hannah Oakley | |
| David Oakley | |
| David Pett | Cuts in staffing are ludicrous especially in the light of social breakdown. etc. |
| Hazel Revell | |
| rev k mcclelland | |
| Lisa Foster | Where will the church be in 10, 20, 30 years time without the youth? |
| Andrew Bagnall | This work is invaluable and I urge Conference to reconsider the proposal. |
| Muriel Anderson | |
| Joyce Thomas | |
| H Harding | |
| C. Butler | |
| Joyce Crosdale | |
| Sinae Prendergast | |
| Dorothy Simmonds | |
| Valeria McCallum | |
| Jonathan Essel | |
| E Simjean | |
| Cebitine Wilson | |
| Carmen Kerr | |
| Moray Tettey | |
| Doris Gyebi | |
| Joyce A Mendza | |
| L Si-Hill | |
| Veronica Boateng | |
| Margaret | |
| Frederiaka | |
| Morcia Perue | |
| Lorna McDonald | |
| Ivy Pamter | |
| Anite Hunte | |
| Denice Wilson | |
| Mabel Thomson | |
| Clifford Campbell | |
| R Powell | |
| V Tull | |
| H Cherrington | |
| Mark Cherrington | |
| Eddie Roos (Rev) | |
| N Djabatey | |
| J Nsiah | |
| G Aldor | |
| W Mullings | |
| G Wallis | |
| Andrew Scheck | |
| W. Luke | |
| Alfred | |
| Jamilla | |
| James Howard | |
| B Donaldson | |
| Eben Ofei | |
| Ingrid Yarde | |
| Rupert Hikely | |
| Daphne Coki | |
| Elizabeth Acquati | |
| Coralith Cubersota | |
| Maine Thompson | |
| Hazel Campbell | |
| Erline Luke | |
| Frances Hayfren | |
| M McLennyte | |
| M Surfend | |
| Lewis Willis | Please do not reduce financial support for work with young people. Not only are they the Church of tomorrow, but they are also the Church of today and need all the help and support we can give. |
| C. Broan | |
| Simone Prendergast | |
| L Ellis | |
| P Tash | |
| C M Lewis | |
| B Bleuy | |
| C. George | |
| Jennifo Powell | |
| Akua Nkansah | |
| N. Shyi | |
| Ellen Boalye | |
| Kofi Boah | |
| Mariam Antwi | |
| Eamon Laualy | |
| Chris Johnson | |
| Esther Bullen | |
| Alex Dent | Christchurch, Hitchin regularly has 70-80 children and youth attend its weekly services - this is around 1/3 of the congregation. Of the 800-900 people that use our building each week, around 300 are children and youth. We believe that these young people should be adequately supported and resourced for the future of the church to bear fruit. |
| Elaine Leach | The older people in the church have an obligation to bring the Christian message to young people and to encourage and support them in their Christian journey. This is the LAST area which should be considered for financial cuts. The world is crying out for dedicated young Christian people and we need to support them in every way we can. |
| James Wood | |
| Pauline and John Williams | It's time we recognise that, as in America, we as churches and church people have the responsibility to engage children and young people with Christianity. |
| Rob Wilding | Young people are the future of our church and work with them should grow, not reduce |
| Marion Connor | Surely this is the seed sowing towards the future church |
| Alan Connor | Youth work is important |
| Mike Winsor | Essential work that must continue |
| Derek Hurst | This is an essential part of the church's work |
| Mrs Edna Fissenden | Our youth are our church for the present and the future |
| Mrs M Bruce | Youth work is very important to the future of the church |
| Gladys Day | I agree it is vital for youth work to come to keep the churches alive and maintain harmony between them. |
| Frank Gore | Youth are important |
| Ian Bartley | Youth work is the foundation of our future |
| Gwen Bartley | We must keep the youth work funded, this is a core part of the wider church |
| Jacky Trice | Youth work is vital - the youth of today are the future of church + society |
| Akin Ele Jogus | Fund has to be made available to keep the youth out of trouble |
| Don H Beevis | There must be a true place in our church for today and tomorrow |
| Christine Malins | Children are our church of tomorrow |
| Billy Framan | Without youth in our church there will be 'no future' church |
| Eve Johnson | Youth in our church is so important to its future |
| Diane Dann | Was important for our youth, so still important for the youth of today |
| Maureen Stronach | |
| Shirley Hassall | Children and young people need a place where they feel safe, valued, helpful, loved,a place which upholds Christian values and a place that is fun; a place where they feel they belong. The best way to do this is through fully funded children and youth work. Please, do not cut these funds.
|
| Mrs.Jan Harrison | I'm praying |
| Ian Weatherall | |
| Margaret Torkildsen | Methodist youth and children's work has been the model for much youth and childrens work throughout the country. At this time especially, youth work needs all the help it can get as provision for the youth has been cut within the country and the result of that has been obvious with all the disaffected youth around. we need to put more resources if anything into this area of work. |
| Reverend Andrea Sims | Our circuit has been involved in youth work for many years and is currently advertising for a youthworker to join our staff. We feel that current proposals have hindered our search and have undermined the hard work of committed volunteers. |
| Trevor A Cook | So many opportunities. but no vision. Stop the Cuts. "The best of all God is with us" as we oppose this monstrous injustice |
| Trevor A Cook | So many opportunities so little vision.Stop the cuts. "The best of all God is with us" as we oppose this act of monstrous injustice. |
| Ed Cooke | |
| Dinah Harper | |
| Alison Noakes | |
| Rosemary Hinnells | Since we've had a youth worker at our church, we've been able to have many more youth activities. Having classes for 0-18 year olds at church on Sundays helps us to understand the Bible better, and we can discuss our feelings about Christianity and other related issues with people our oown age. We have a christian youth club where we've been able to invite people who wouldn't normally go to the church services, so we can meet other young people. The club is open to young people in the wider community, who would otherwise never see christianity- this youth work is helping to change thier lives. It's also encouraging young people from the community to become involved with Methodism. We've been able to try new things and help the community (eg we did a sponsored famine for World vision.)We have lots of resources to use eg art materials, and we can also go out for the evening as a group to enjoy ourselves and the wider aspects of Christianity. And via the members in the youth club, we've been able to receive a lot of support for issues in our lives outside of church. The friendships and links we've made through youth work at our church has helped young people through really tough times. Please don't cut funds to youth work, as we could loose all of this and many lives could be affected or damaged. |
| Lisa Janes | |
| Ann Archer | |
| Des Archer | |
| Doreen Archer | |
| Carol McKimmie | Our own Chuch community is paying for a youth worker and he is bringing us into contact with young people that the Chuch would not usually reach. cutting funding for youth work is just wrong. |
| Pam Sitford | If the Methodist Church wants to die completely, then by all means make cuts! But surely we should be looking to increase not decrease in an age when the importance of sharing Christ with Young people is paramount. |
| Christine Mead | We desperately need to keep as many youth workers as possible, as this is an important part of our christian work for young people. |
| Frank Needham | Suffer the little children to come unto me and forbid them not. |
| Christine Warren | |
| helen hofton | |
| Andy Monk | |
| Ian Brakenbury | |
| Helen Hawkes | Children's work and youth work is vitally important to God and should be to us. We must invest more time and money into this, not less. |
| Sarah Fidler | |
| Liz Little | Our young people have so much to teach us. They are the church of today AND tomorrow. Many youth workers do wonderful, dedicated work, often without much support, and reducing what support the Church does provide for them would be disastrous. |
| Jane Sherwood | |
| R Wycherley | I am amazed that Methodism could even contemplate cutting back Youth work resources at a time when the need to engage with the young has never been greater. We need the young to carry on the Methodist movement. We cannot allow this tragedy to happen |
| Peter Dron | |
| T A Battersby | Having worked as a Leader in a MAYC Club for many years I cannot believe the proposal of the Conference It will be the death knell of Youth Work. I feel that if John Wesley was alive today with the "Bean Counters" he would not have the Money for His hhorse |
| Yvonne Clark | Youth work is extremely important. Instead of reducing staffing we need to increase it. |
| John Milburn | Without the youth there is no church now or in the future |
| Geoff Burns | |
| Gillian Gardner | |
| Tom Gardner | |
| Judith Bagley | |
| Emma Forster | Please don't cut funding |
| Jean Lawrence | |
| Ray Lawrence | |
| Joyce Johnson | |
| David Hughes | Get your priorities right! |
| Ann Creasey | |
| Brian Creasey | |
| Anne Burns | |
| John Byers | 'Invest to save' the next generation |
| Christine Caleya Chetty | This is very important work |
| Kate Byers | |
| Ruth Blundred | Please keep our youth work going |
| Carole Whitfield | Please support youth work to the fullest extent |
| Arthur Tuffee | |
| Eve Robinson-Morley | To make further cuts would reduce the ways we can reach our young people, and they are needed for the survival of the church. |
| Steve Gordon | Dont cut back anymore.
its time to go forward and keep strong youth links or there will be no more church |
| E.Sanders | Through the influence of the MYD over the years both my daughters work hard in the church |
| John Fellows | |
| Rosemary Davies (nee Izard) | This is a shameful end to the sucessful work of Methodism over the years and a sad reflection on how unimportant the Church sees children and young people. |
| Janice Butcher | |
| Jen Doragh | Forget "The Church needs the Children"
Think first
"The Children need the Christ" more than ever before. It's not about them keeping "our" church going - but keeping them going in their faith wherever & however that may be. It is specialised work - we need MORE training with fresh ideas. |
| Anne Collinson | These are just the people who need our help! |
| Rev.D.J.Collinson | Important we make changes in terms of value rather than cost |
| Howard Lawrence | Without youth today, no church tomorrow! |
| Barbara Dennis | |
| Ray Lamb | Our Church needs the Youth. It is our duty to mankind to sign this petition |
| Angela Nunn | Good,Christian youth work is essential given the pressures youngsters face today. |
| D Winney | |
| Christine Hearn | From Priory Methodist Church
Bedford |
| Ann E Thomson | For our Church to grow in faith and strenght we need our Youth. The Youth are the future of Methodist Church. Youth work needs more resources rather than less. Please reconsider this decision |
| Sandra Robey | Turn your back on the young....at your peril...
WWJD? |
| Steve Nugent | No more cuts! |
| Maurice Drage | |
| Sylvia White | I totally support this Petition. I can recall being part of the Youth group when I was a teenager and early twenties and it stood me in good stead for still being involved in the church and its activities quite a few years later. Young people are to be encourage and you can't do that with a reduction in staff. |
| john warren eccles | This will spell the death nell of the methodist church if youth work is not supported. |
| David Harwood | Hall Green MYC Birmingham |
| Donald and Doreen Clinton-Smith | Having worked childrens and MAYC youth work 40 years and seen positive results with support Methodist and LEA,we believe it is vital for our Church to support more ,not less. |
| Helen Reed | |
| Richard Burnham | |
| Lorna Sutch | |
| Joy Fisher | |
| Eileen Davis | I wholeheartedly support this petition. Having been a Youth Officer within the church I am appalled that the church can consider cutting the team any further it has already been reduced in number and resources and the result of those cuts already shows. Does the church want children and young people? |
| Alison Raybould | |
| Marian Thomas | |
| Brenda Smith | Young people are our future |
| Sheila Piper | How much lower can we sink - our young people |
| Colin Creasey | |
| D J Thompson | More not less |
| S Burgess | |
| Cathy Broster | Young people are our future |
| C Longhunt | Please help our young |
| Patricia Easterbrook | Young people are the future - we need them |
| Ted Dale | We need our youth leaders |
| Barry Easterbrook | Shame - young people are the future |
| Patrick Barker | Don't lose the youth |
| Terry Egan | We need young people |
| Ernie Gale | Prayer can be a great mover |
| M Park | Our Young people need help |
| Ruth Stevens | Young people are the future of the church |
| Pauline Barker | We need the support of young people |
| Eric Burcham | Youth are the church of tommorrow |
| Mrs Eileen Mushett | We are letting them down |
| Mrs Glenda Wombwell | We must support our young people |
| G Bennet | |
| L Bennett | |
| Ailsa Melton | Essential to keep these workers |
| Mrs Braniff | Our Young people need help |
| P Neville | |
| J Dale | |
| E Bishop | |
| S Seeley | |
| M C Cottrell | Definitely needed |
| M F Folkerd | Much needed |
| H L Thomas | Very short minded |
| M L Kenny | |
| E Bartlett | |
| RW Bartlett | Shame! |
| Clare Andrews | |
| amanda price | |
| jamie price | save youth work! the youth are the future! |
| Brian Beeson | |
| Joan Beeson | |
| Kenneth Mankin | |
| Mr Keith Norton | Ministry among young people is more important than any other aspect of Church outreach.
Youth are the life-blood of the Church |
| Douglas Bentley | |
| pearl maunder | Our youth work was always excellent and made the Methodist Church stand out ahead of all others. |
| David Piggott | The youth are the important link in the relay race of our heritage. If we do not reach out to share the Good News with them who will carry the news to the next generation? |
| Rev Dave Tomlin | Just one area of decline being planned by those who ignore the real signs of new life and growth out in the real world of Methodism. Where is the trust & faith in our God of new surprises! |
| Gillian M foxall | |
| Roger L Foxall | This work is essential to our future |
| Mr J Coates | Im part of a youth group and also training to be a youth worker it has played a vital role in my personal development !! (aged 18) |
| MRS JEAN CLAY | Our youth work is vital! |
| RogerP.Meagor | Youth work is absolutly essential, especially in today's culure with lack of Christian teaching. |
| Ian Griffiths | |
| Tabitha Griffiths | |
| Rev Tom Quenet | I may not be part of the Methodist Church today. If when God called me to faith there had not been connexionally dedicated staff to support my local methodist church's youth club. It was support for the local church from the connexion that enabled me to see the Methodist Church not only as aplace for fun, but a place where the God of Grace and Truth and Love could be found. |
| doreen fisher | the whole country needs this not just the chuch!! |
| The Revd Canon Professor Leslie J Francis | The current staff team have ensured the profile of Methodist ministry among young people both nationally and internationally. The loss of this team would be most damaging. |
| Rev. Madeleine Andrews | To cut funding for youth work seems like a contradiction of everything we claim about the central place of young people and children in the church. |
| Robert Andrews | Barbara Halstead expresses my own opinion completely |
| Audrey and Bob Knopp | Youth work essential.Let's not miss another generation |
| Philip E Lloyd | How crazy can you get! |
| Emma Mills | |
| Rev Barbara Halstead | This must be the barmiest reduction yet! To strengthen our youth work resources such be doubled, hovever painful the cost. |
| Bob N Hodges MBE | Iwas proud to be President of MAYC and of it's achievements. It breaks my heart to realise that the present administration of our church values it's young people so little. |
| Alistir C. MacDonald | Yes, I fully support Rob Redpath, MAYC and Youth Conferencve in persuading Conference that thisais a Connexional priority requiring strengthening, not redution of central resources. |
| Brian Hull | |
| Deryck Hand | If youthwork is'nt essential,what is? |
| Barbara Hand | |
| Chris Berry | Fully resourced Youth work is vital to the Methodist Church NOW!! |
| Linda Berry | We must look after the youth of today if we want a church for tomorrow. Youth work is an investment and we must not cut funding - they are a future leadership. |
| Tony Chadwick | The Hong Kong president of conference, is outraged at the lack of vision the uk conference has for the future, I work for an expat church and can tell you the UK conference is a laughing stock and the UK GS's comments in youthwork (july issue)left me astounded sack the guy or get your leaders to give him a vote of no confidence, but dont let him cut back on the meagre resources they presently invest in youth. |
| Liz Donohoe | I agree it's vital for youth work to continue to keep the churches alive and maintain harmony between us |
| Val Fagg | Without youth the church will not be able to carry on |
| Ian Fagg | Without youth the church will not be able to carry on |
| Patricia Arnold | Our youth are our FUTURE |
| Alan Wood | Without our youth work how can we continue to grow? |
| M Wilding | It's vital to advance youth work for the future of Methodism. |
| Mr A Quinnel | |
| Mrs R Quinnel | |
| Mrs P Raymond | |
| Mrs M Rice | |
| John Dennis | What is the future? Is there no vision? |
| Brian Cooke | |
| Elizabeth Coker | What happens in the future? |
| Mrs J Ramsay | |
| Gill Greenland | |
| Mrs A Read | |
| Mrs R Smith | |
| Mrs M Gammon | |
| Mrs E Elliott | |
| Mrs H Thycott | |
| Mrs D Dunn | |
| Mrs M Yeo | |
| Mrs A Fyfe | |
| Mr P Gammon | |
| Mrs W Molland | |
| P M Williams | Youth are our future |
| V Evans | The youth of today are the church's tomorrow |
| Lorna Donnington | Young children and youth are the Christians of today and tomorrow |
| Julia Spencer | We who try to engage with young people need support |
| Derek Wood | Very important and keep going |
| Rosemary Querrell | Youth IS the church's future |
| Eileen Hallett | Youth is our future |
| J Lloyd | |
| Tess Sagar | Children should be at the centre - if they are not welcomed then what are we teaching them about God's love for them? |
| Ann Sagar | We must not lose our young people |
| Jean Harbottle | Youth is the future of the church |
| Jean Wright | |
| Len Cann | Please try and keep young people. We need young.
|
| Val Cann | Please try and keep young people. We need young.
|
| A Babb | |
| Reg Babb | Young people are the church of the future |
| M Symons | We NEED our young people |
| Thelma Clarke | |
| Jill Richard | Keep youth work going |
| M Weeks | We must encourage youth work |
| M P Sale | Must be kept going |
| J Davies | Must be kept going |
| P. Davies | Must be kept going |
| Ann Whatton | If we do not encourage the work, the church will die. |
| M A Smale | Disgusted! They are the future church! |
| M A Breaks | |
| Carolyn Ousley | It deserves to be kept going
|
| Robert Denton |
|
| Margery Ousky |
This a very worthwhile work and should be kept going |
| Hilda Willcox |
|
| M Cooper |
|
| Rick Cooper |
|
| Phil Staley |
|
| Bernard Davies | Our youth need clear guidance in a hard world |
| Sarah Philpott | Youth is our church now and our future |
| Keith Watts | No youth, no future |
| Judy Staley | Youth is the future of the church |
| Julian Cooper | The youth are our future! |
| Phil Summers | Cut something else! |
| Barbara Mead | We need our youth |
| Audrey Grainger | Our youth are most important |
| Helen Cooper | |
| Charles Wade | Youthwork is most important |
| Gwyneth Wade | Youthwork is most important |
| Richard Green | Very short sighted policy |
| Donald Ryan | Youthwork is a priority |
| Alma Ryah | Our youth is important |
| D Barton | We need the youth in the church and elsewhere |
| Richard Gauld | |
| Barbara Morris | The future relies on the youth of today |
| Penny Baldwin | Youth are our future! |
| Val Campion | This important, valuable work must continue to be funded. |
| Helen Navarro | It is vital that we get more young people involved in church-based activities. Without them the future of the church is bleak! |
| Gemma Slaney | |
| John Middleton | |
| BEtty Riley | |
| Mavis Middleton | |
| A.M.Hopwood | |
| S.Mackie Bailey | This seems to me to be a totally counter productive decisiion! |
| Ivy Markwell | |
| Kenneth Riley | |
| Jacqui Sousa | |
| David White | |
| Betty White | |
| Barbara Galley | How short sighted this is when we all need to keep making contact with young people. |
| Andrew Robinson | I have seen what expanding youth work does in other churches. They have a thriving youth community. The sooner we can get MORE money into proper run youth work the better for the future of the children involved and the Methodist church. It should not even by considered to cut this funding. |
| selina | |
| Anna Williams | |
| Richard Hamm | What a negative message to give our youth! |
| Pauline Roberts | Our Youth is the future we must not make cuts in this area |
| Ian Roberts | Methodist youth work is crucial to the future of the Church and must not be cut |
| Tim Dunwoody | It is hard to believe that the same work can be supported with the changes. Of all groups, surely it is the youth who should be priority. |
| James Marshall | If the Methodist Church wishes to DIE, then it should cut funding to youth work...
Long live MAYC!! |
| Pauline Hayman | What can possibly be more important to the Methodist Church that it needs to cut costs Youth Work costs? |
| Christine Beggs | On behalf of the fifteen young people in the Pendle Youth Fellowship, who meet together every Sunday evening, please do everything possible to retain a strong national youthwork team. Pendle Youth Fellowship enables young people to meet together from across the Circuit, when in several church communities they are one of only three or less young people. MAYC is always there for us for help, advice and resources. Long may it remain so. The same also goes for Methodist Children! |
| Paul Combellack | Surely this is one of the areas where we should be spending our money? |
| Rachel McKenna | i have been a Methodist all my life, i have been a youth worker in Methodist Church since i was a teenager, i have been to every MAYC event since then and it has been one of the main things that has kept my faith going and topped me up spiritually for years. To end it all is a biig mistake we need to invest in the youth of today not walk away from them |
| lee warren | |
| Rachel Donnelly | |
| Judy Read | Young People Matter. The many volunteers working with young people need professional advice and help please don't cut it. |
| pippa | FOR RACHEL |
| annabell | |
| Kevin Soulsby | We have already lost support for Methodist Students we don't want to loose any more support |
| John Birch | WIthout young people how long will the Methodist Church survive? Surely this is the one area that must be properly resourced??!! |
| Rebecca Miller | Without dedicated workers for younf people the church will have no base from which to grow from and its future will be bleak |
| Geoff Bell | Has Methodism got a death with?! |
| Claire Steen | Youth are the future of the church, without them the church will die. |
| Matthew Davies | |
| Rebecca Joynes | Over 30 years ago most of the young people left our church, leaving it empty and struggling for a short while. With some really wonderful youth workers we now have a thriving youth side to our church with increasing membership of all ages and a vibrant, loving and living church spreading the gospel of Christ thru' the area. Please do not cut youth work, it is VITAL! |
| shirley ford | |
| Peter Miller (Harpenden Methodist Youth Worker) | The Methodist Church will score an own goal and lose members if this happens. |
| Pam Lewis | Let's put money & resources into youthwork and evangelism instead of restraucturing! Our youth work has been brilliant in the past. it has failed in direct relation to the withdrawing of funding & staff |
| Natalie Husk | |
| John Starling | The choice we have is to grow or die, in East Grinstead we choose life |
| Julia Morton | Don't waste the great enthusiasm and energy which exists to serve this vital area of the Methodist Church |
| Irene Lauder | Pinner Methodist Church, Harrow |
| Rosie Salkeld | 'It worked for me'
Pinner Methodist Church, Harrow |
| Rosemary Mortimer | Pinner Methodist Church, Harrow |
| Jean and Duncan Edwards | Pinner Methodist Church, Harrow |
| Helen Clifford | 'To abandon this is to abandon our future' - Pinner Methodist Church, Harrow |
| Jenny Cook | Cannon Lane Methodist Church |
| Bob Bartindale | The reasoning behind these cuts look just like defeatism to me. I can't find any evidence that Jesus was a defeatist. |
| T D Non | I am against funding cuts |
| R W Wilkins | I agree |
| J. Leadley | Children now are the church of the future |
| E. Bagnie | Yes |
| Keith Nichols | We will reap what we 'sow' - nothing! |
| Jim Britten | |
| Doreen Jones | The last thing that needs to be cut |
| Peter Jones | The last thing that needs to be cut |
| Christine Hughes | This work needs to continue |
| Peter Caton | This work needs to continue |
| Edna Rayner | This work needs to continue |
| D H Hill | This work needs to continue |
| Valerie Riaden | Agreed - the workers are vital |
| Jim Ray | Stop all these cutbacks |
| Judith Reed | This seems an unbelievable move by the Methodist Church |
| Gordon Reed | I cannot believe the church is proposing this. It is absolutely vital work. |
| Keith Dutton | We need youth workers for the future of the Church |
| Margaret Marsh | |
| Trevor Marsh | |
| Vera Richards | |
| Keith Jeffers | I agree with the comments below |
| W E H Tucker | I agree with the comments below |
| Joyce Harris | I agree with the comments below |
| Alan Nice | I agree with the comments below |
| Joyce Nice | I agree with the comments below |
| Jane Williamson | I agree with previous comments |
| Judith Hall | I agree with previous comments |
| Ian Barton | We need more youth development work |
| Rachel Barton | We have a youth worker at our church and they have a huge impact - we need more, not less |
| Jill Avis | This is vital, we must support young people! |
| B. Hannaford | This is vital, we must support young people! |
| Peter Ellis | |
| Gavin O'Meara | |
| Kelly O'Meara | |
| Ann Vickers | |
| Ted Lott | |
| Rosemary Fielder | |
| Stuart Faulkner | |
| Helen Orr | |
| Denice Morgan | I believe that this would be a big mistake!The young people of our churches need more support and encouragement not less! |
| Sidrah Sadique | Young children and youth workers need support!i for one definately support them, they've truly made a difference to people!
|
| Daniel Morecroft | |
| Taylor Hodgson | To say the Methodist Church is unable to engage with young people is not what we see locally, although it might be what is seen from offices in London. We need to offer those doing this amazing work with the support they deserve from professionally qualified staff with appropriate experience. The best way to provide this is nationally. |
| Jonathan Miller | This has to be a joke right? National Methodist Youth work doesn't seem to be working so a small consultation group with little or no input from Youth workers or young people comes up with the idea to scrap it all together? Surely it makes more sense to put more money in to it, consult more youth workers and young people and provide a service that both groups actually want instead of making decisions based on what a 7 person group thinks youth workers and young people want and need. Youth work should make up a substantial part of the work of the Church and could do with a large commitee formed of several presbyters, deacons, youth workers and of course lots of young people. What did youth conference make of this proposal anyway? |
| Ken Evans | Are the Conference so blind that they can't understand that the future of our church depends on the young people of today.It is essential that youth work continues and is expanded not curtailed. |
| Jenny Southcott | |
| James Downing | WHY!!! |
| Angela Fry | |
| Tony Wakeman | The Methodist Church must continue to support the many volunteer leaders in organisations like the Boys' and Girls' Brigades. |
| Stu | |
| Rachel Sadler | |
| Tim Hopkinson | |
| Rev. John Bower | A cut in resourcing work amongst children and young people of our church will be a retrograde step. It is vital to the present and future growth of the Kingdom. |
| Wilfrid Richardson | Everyone working with chikdren and young people needs all the support and encouragement possible. This is an area that churches now struggle with.
|
| Yvonne Lock | |
| Emma Riseborough | |
| Alan Hartley | |
| Anne Dickman | |
| Angela Heywood | |
| Helen Auden | Young people and children need ever more Christian support in this world where the media have so much negative influence over them |
| Robin Sadler | NO!! |
| Tom McLouglin | |
| Wes Auden | The youth is the future of the church. Lets support the work in introducing Christ to young people. Matthew 19v13-15 |
| Helen Goddard | How will they manage? |
| Dan Smith | |
| John Minshull | The good work MUST continue. We really need our youth and their involvement. |
| Tony Roe | Why? |
| Peter Robinson | Why? |
| Anne Low | The good work must continue |
| Ann Bolas | Where are the priorities? |
| Alex Condron | |
| Caroline White | |
| William White | Revive Thy work and let it begin with our youth |
| Penny Bowden | If we deny young people the support they need to tell them about Jesus, his amazing love and grace, the Church will die due to lack of newcomers! |
| Douglas Thompson | Youth work is an important part of the Methodist Church, and those of us that work with the young people need as much support and guidance as we can get.
Please remember that the work that is done for the young people today, will keep the Methodist Church alive and hopefully growing in the future. |
| Marie Tierney | I became a Christian after my children attended a youth event.Please don't deny others the same opportunity |
| Neil Gregory | We enjoyed MAYC why deny our Children/Grandchildren. |
| Norma Nock | This is the most important work ... it must be enabled to continue and grow |
| Rebecca Bell | |
| Barbara Girling | Can't understand the thinking behind this AT ALL! |
| Diane Allen | Cutting youth work at the national level is incredibly short sighted |
| Brian Crowe | We should be putting more into our youth work - they are the future |
| Katherine Grogan | |
| Helen Best | |
| Carol Hollett | |
| Graham Seabrook | Cuts should be stopped - if the church wants a future! |
| Neil | Don't accept |
| Helen Reachead | Don't accept |
| J Chapman | Don't accept |
| Kerri Clark | Don't accept |
| Joan Bingham | Don't accept |
| Hazel Garnham | Don't accept |
| Jayce Green | Don't accept |
| Jerry Hepworth | Don't accept |
| Deirdre Robertson | Don't accept |
| Marty Guest | Think again |
| Wilma Hoyle | Don't Accept |
| N Adelson | Don't Accept |
| P Felton | Don't Accept |
| J Rivas | Don't Accept |
| M Felton | Don't Accept |
| C Chapman | Don't Accept |
| W H Holmes | |
| Michael Peats | |
| Helen Peats | |
| Pamela Evans | |
| Derek Peats | |
| Alma Bartley | |
| Vera Keer | |
| Derek Rothwell | |
| Deirdre Rothwell | |
| Rosalie Rowland | |
| Diane Clark | Not enough is thought of the children - they are our future |
| Brian Clark | |
| Jennie Warren | |
| David Griffiths | |
| Christine Griffiths | |
| Ann Barton | |
| Jean Reid | |
| Bill Holmes | |
| Dorothy Holmes | |
| Ralph Chapman | |
| Lilian Berry | |
| Joan Gledhill | |
| Pauline Clement | |
| A E Clement | |
| R Oliver | |
| Dianne Clarke | |
| Joan Morphet | |
| Molly Heyworth | |
| Jim Heyworth | |
| Revd michael manley | As an Anglican we have long coveted the expertise of the MAYC..don't lose your jewel !!! |
| Peter Davies | |
| Josie Macey | |
| Roger Macey | |
| Barry Dowson | |
| Linda Dowson | People are the Church not buildings |
| Neville Coates | |
| Rev L Hardy | |
| Laurie Garner | It's my belief that local children's & youth work needs a strong national team to support it particularly in producing training material,resources and in cooperating with ecumenical colleagues. |
| Janet Warner | Children & young people are our present & our future. We cannot afford to reduce this ministry! |
| Ben Shaw | |
| Freda Shaw | |
| Margaret Mansfield | |
| Lynon Howard | |
| David Battarbee | |
| Jean Bampton | |
| Ann Thomson | |
| Mrs. M. Bower | It is vital that Youth Work is maintained at the highest level to support those working at Local Level. it will be a backward step if this cut is made in an important area of Mission outreach |
| Roger Davies | Without increasing youth numbers there will be no future for the church. |
| michael john sherwood | In my District, Notts and Derby, Youth work funding and support, particularily in full time staff has always seemed to be low in the priority listing, now its happening nationally. We must turn this round, our young people are our future. |
| Michael Lancastle | To cut funding to work with children and young people will be to pull the rug out from under our feet.
The children and young people are a vital part of the church today, but without them there will not be a church of tomorrow.
Please, PLEASE reconsider these proposals. The church of tomorrow is depending on you! |
| Tricia Mitchell | Please have courage - our children need the opportunity to learn, and to choose to follow their Lord. |
| Nick Bates | It's deplorable that money constantly comes between people and what they believe or might one day believe. |
| Liz Sterling | Young people are the church of the future. If you don't help young people to learn and to grow there won't be a church in 50 years time! |
| Val Davies | I am amazed and horrified that this should even be considered. How are we to bring on the next generation without support. |
| David White | I was devastated to learn of these proposals.we must encourage the youth or the church will die |
| David Holder | I oppose any attempt to cut back resources on Youth work |
| barbara fox | I believe we should be investing more not less in our youth workers and that it is shortsighted of us not to realise that the future of our church depends in no small way on the yout of today |
| John F Davies | Is there methodist in this madness? I thought you were about "saving" not budgeting! |
| Helen Kerrudge | We need the youth in the church as not only are they the church of today they will help build the church of the future |
| Alison Wood | |
| Edward W. Wilkinson | A Church without children is dying. We may need to cut back staff in London, but have at least two full-time Youth Leaders in each District. If a third of the population are young people, then a third of each individual Church's income should be spent encouraging and supporting young people. |
| Alan Busby | Understand constraints in budget, but this is a step too far. Save Methodist Youth Work!!! |
| Rev Keith Borwick | 20% of my work as a Circuit Minister is with children and their families. If I commit 20% of my time then I feel the church should commit 20% of its resources to this vital area not cut them back. |
| Judith Knight | I believe reducing commitment of any sort to youth work is very short-sighted. Where does the future, aswell as the present, of our churches lie, if not with the younger people. |
| Keith Rothery | We should be thinking about investing more in our youth work not cutting it back |
| Rachel Nickerson | |
| Joanne Lancastle | please think again about these proposals. our work with children and young people is vital for todays church and also for the furure of those children and young people. workers in churches need the national support. God tells us that he will meet our needs maybe we all need to seek him more so that we can continue his work and not loose vital members of the team. |
| Robert Edward Mantle | |
| Rev Mark Lawrence | Without investment into our youth and children's work we will fail to invest in our future. |
| Fran Heald | Children and youth should represent one quarter of our congregations until this is the position this work should be the priority for funding not facing cuts |
| Margaret Addicott | Our Youth Work is part of the Mission of the Church and should be given our maximum support. |
| Doreen Sparey-Delacassa | Youth work is vital; so is 'Family Friendly' and evengelism. We should be going all out to make new disciples, not putting our resources into maintaining decline. |
| Simon Thompson | |
| Bill Betts | |
| Claire Mordue | I have grown in my faith because of the work of youth work in my area and through the Methodist Church.Now there is a greater need for children and young people to hear the word of God ,due to changes in culture and attitude .Please do not cut the funding to this area ,as the church does not have a future. |
| Jane Rhodes | Children's work is vital, please don't make our job harder. |
| John Thompson | Where there is a need we are sent to serve. Just read any newspaper or listen to any news article to hear what a great need there is for work with children and young people. Please increase the funding for this vital work, don't even think about reducing it. |
| Mrs Susan Jones | |
| Kit Heald | |
| Francis Newing | |
| Helen Baggott | Work with young people and adults is vital for the life of the church, good luck with this petition and all this means for everyone. |
| Wendy A Thornton | We have a responsibility to make provision for and be inclusive of young people, they have a hard enough time negotiating the world as it is, it would be shameful not to provide a community where young people can feel valued and where they can find unconditional acceptance and security. We need to be placing more youth and community workers not less. Our volunteer youth workers deserve appropriate support from a well resourced and committed team, who can offer support and advice. It is time for the Methodist church to prioritise, perhaps if we did some hard pruning of dead branches we would have the resources to invest in growth. |
| Wendy Spratling | Please do not cut down work with Young People - it is tinme to expand not retract! |
| Elaine Turner | |
| Keith Fletcher | More than ever, the Church should be developing the means by which to reach out to children and young people |
| Kirsty Wesson | |
| Bev Boden | |
| Christine Fenwick | More should be done to make our worship inclusive of children and young people. |
| david booth | |
| Peter Howarth | - |
| Anthony Toye | ?????????????????? |
| Kay Schwartz | Please save Youth Work |
| Revd. Peter Edwards | Is Methodism tacitly admitting that it can no longer engage with young people? It would seem so. |
| Simon Stewart | I've been involved in youth work for nearly 20 years and in no way would want Methodist Youth Work to be further diluted. |
| Terry Trigg | |
| Lisa Hawes | |
| Jane Paine | Youth york tells young people that they matter to God. Cutting it implies they are less important. |
| Linda Ashford | I pray that the Methodist Conference will see the amazing work that God, by His Holy Spirit, is doing amongst young people at this time...they are at the forefront of so many prayer initiatives and evangelism. We MUST stand with them ans support them at this crucial time. |
| Maureen Spencer | MORE HELP, NOT LESS IS NEEDED! |
| Joanne Archer | Please save youth work! It needs resourcing! |
| Rev Bonni-Belle Pickard | the need is greatest with children and youth! |
| Charlotte Common | Each child is a child of God who didn't even spare his own son |
| John Spalding | The Church needs to be out there in the community, in the way of the early Church. The wat things are going, in 25 years the Methodist Church will be just a webb site or in the social history books. |
| Andrew Day | I understand the constraints under which we are operating as a Church, yet I hope that we can be more creative than this. |
| Dave Wilson | Bye Bye Methodist Church...? |
| Andrew Whysall | Surely we should increase effective Youth work, not cut it. |
| David Sleet | If we cut off the new life entering the church what will be the future of the church? |
| Michael Parker | Why should we think this is the right thing to do? |
| Tony and Fiona de Boltz | With the increasing age of people entering the Methodist ministry, this is DEFINATELY not the time to be reducing work with young people. |
| Carol Whitson | We should be increasing the funding for Youth Work not cutting it. |
| Rona Orme | Children and young people are full members of GOD's family - we must work to include them. |
| Richard Morris | Lost for words... |
| Sidney Anderson | Please ensure Youth work is continued and where possible enhanced in the Mewthodist Church |
| Maureen Ellis | And can we remember the needs of those who "never grow old" or "never grow up" - the learning disabled? |
| Fiona Cartmell | I believe it is important to support young people as they continue to grow in faith. To take away that support seems to be short sighted in the extreme. |
| Graham Chattin | To cut back on Youth Work is suicide - young people are the lifeblood of the church. we mut keep contact with them in relevant and effecive ways, and search to find them, not give up on them! |
| Carol Rider | For many children the only contact they have with Church is through the Youth work in our Churches, if this is not adequately supported how will they find their way to Christ? |
| Margaret Garratt | Keep the churches growing by encouraging the youth. |
| Enid Fox | An idea that is difficult to believe or understand |
| Caroline Cobb | |
| bridget Grant | |
| Lucy Reeves-Price | I think youth work is so valuable and funding should be increased, not cut! |
| Paul Hazelden | Young people are vital to the future of the church |
| Jon Phillips | Where have all the young people gone. Why during the 1990’s an average of a thousand children a week under the age of 15 walk out of church or Sunday school and not come back? The English church attendance survey showed that the total number of children under 15 attending church of all denominations on a Sunday was
• 1,400,000 in 1979
• 1,200,000 in 1989
• 720,000 in 1998
The rate of decline is not strictly linear but if these trends were to continue by 2016 the number of children under 15 in English churches could be as low as 225,000.
“The church has to stop the haemorrhage of its young people and banish the generation gap from Gods kingdom”
– these were the words of teacher and author Mrs Geraldine Witcher.
These figures alone amply demonstrate why youth work is important to out church in the 21st Century. It is fundamental to the ministry of any church. Not simply as growth potential for the congregation but because young people are todays church as well as tomorrows church.
Young people make up approximately a third of the population. How many churches can honestly say that their ministry, their budgeting, their time and their people power invests a third of their energies into young people? Youth work presents a challenge to the church because it calls for the church to be inclusive of young people.
It is a fact that over 70% of todays Christians came to Faith before they were 25years old (YFC figures). What does this tell us about where we and how should be investing our time and energies?
Doing Youth work is more than important it is vital to the survival and revival of the church.
So what are we going to do about it?
I believe that if we are going to connect as a church with the young people of today -
• We need to be bold.
• We need to be open to change.
• We need to step out in faith.
Jesus message is the same today as it was 2000 years ago. But what isn’t the same is the culture our young people are growing up in today compared to 2000 years ago. As a church we need to meet these young people where they are, showing them through building relationships with them the relevance of Jesus Christ to their lives.
Its about time Conference and the Methodist Church woke up to this cos if it doesn’t it will die.
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| Paula Dring | MAYC should not suffer through lack of resources. There are too many kids that do not know Jesus as Lord lets go tell 'em! |
| Hannah Rider | Youthwork is uch an important prat of outreach into the communityi can't believe that anyone would seriously consider cutting funding to it, i've seen plenty of people brought to god through the work of MAYc and it doesn't always just bring kids, it often impacts on families too |
| anita shaw | the young people of this nation are hungry for Christand are open to the Holy Spirit. these are the last cuts that should be made |
| Cara Taylor | |
| Terry Johnston | I was brought up through Methodist youth work & in the seventies MAYC was the inspiration for lots to go into ministry/mission. Throwing this away will destroy our witness to the young for a generation and more. |
| David Allen | I have been a Memeber of the Methodist Church for 40 + years during which time I have also been a member and leader of a Youth Club associated with the Methodist Church. I have many happy memories of joining with thousands of others in London at the annual weekend and also taking part in the display on two occasions. This annual event gave the opportunity to present a United Christian message that the youth work of the Methodist Church was alive. Where else would one find a gathering of 10,000 + young people having good natured fun with no trouble and presenting the Christiand message.
It is disgraceful what the Methodist Conference is Proposing. With membership of Churches on the decline we are trying to get new younger blood into the Church. There are so many other activities taking place on a Sunday. An excellent Channel of presenting the Christian message is through the youth clubs. In the past many have entered the church after being members of a club. Surely youth work should be increased not decreased as they are the future. It appears with no central interest there will be nothing to back up the hard work of the Volunteers who week by week give up their time and efforts to present the Christian Gospel in a safe friendly environment.
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| Jayne Corns | This is a very short sighted suggestion. If we have no young people, we have no church! Methodism has always led the way in church youth work - we can't let this happen. |
| Gill Hare | The families that have come up thru MAYC support in their own youth will vote with their feet for their own youngsters by moving to other churches who do support their children. |
| David Rock | As the head of youth and children's work in the Methodist Church in Ireland, I am totally shocked at the proposals that have been made in regard to MAYC. It shows such a lack of vision, particularly when the project group did not actually recommend that there should be such drastic cuts. |
| Bill Indian | What on earth is happening to the Methodist Church. Youth work has always been our strength,and without investing in young people I fear for the future of the Methodist Church. |
| Lesley Evans | |
| Andy Smith | |
| Sue Smith | |
| Jerry Woods | Prioritise things and do what is possible |
| Mary J Harman | Why don't we get things done? less talk - more do |
| Val Whalley | |
| Nial Street | |
| Richard D Gilbey | What a welcome! |
| William Stacey | Concern about the age of our congregations |
| M McMillan | Less emphasis on training, more on 'work' and youth |
| Roy Cox | |
| W Palmer | We will pray for the youth |
| B Palmer | We will pray for the youth |
| M Meadows | They are the future church |
| Elaine Greenwood | The youth are the church of the future |
| Roy McKenzie | Youth work is vital for the Church |
| Edith Vanstone | Most important to keep youth work |
| Henry Vanstone | Most important to keep youth work |
| Janet Osborne | We need to look after the church of the future |
| Andrew Osborne | Please think again on this |
| Angela Carpenter | Youth are our future! |
| Ann Kyle | In this situation in the country at the moment this is very short-sighted |
| Edna Steell | More important than many other causes |
| Kathryn Aldred | |
| David Garfield | |
| Clare Garfield | |
| Andrew Garfield | |
| Brian Glover | |
| David Edmondson | Young Christians need every bit of support we can possibly provide in a world often unsympathetic to their faith. |
| David Frost | |
| Lindsay Frost | |
| Maureen Newton | We are living in an anti-christian society. We owe it to the Lord Jesus to reach out to others especially children, many of whom know nothing about Jesus, as they are not taught the Word of God in schools only Isms. |
| Catherine Allen | |
| Rachel Bond | |
| Sarah Bainbridge | Cut backs in mission and evangelism, cut back in the number of saved lives. |
| Simon Jones | Mr Deeks. You want to know what people think about youth and children's work in the Methodist Church (Methodist Recorder this week). Well if you read this petition you'd find out exactly what poeple think! More than 1200 people have signed it and there are some excellent comments. Please...Swallow your pride and don't consign the Church to a future without hope. Invest in work with children. Invest in work with young people. For the sake of OUR Church! |
| Susan M Giles | about time the children were given top of the list from Conference. Remember Pray without ceasing challenge??!! |
| Trevor Henshaw | How to kill off a dying organisation - don't invest in your young people! |
| Tim Gochenour | do you really wish to kill the Methodist church? Because honestly, if you take away youth from the programming you are condemning the church to die. |
| Janet Ladds | The youth of today need this vital resource, people of a Christian base to help and guide them through these important years of development |
| Emma Hodgkiss | Youth group was greta for me it would be a shame to cut the money as that will cut the joy the chidren could have. |
| Angela Kenny | |
| Simon Peters | Youth work is vital to God's church. As a member of the URC, I pray that these cuts will not take place, for the sake of those who feel excluded from the church because of the lack of youth work provision. |
| Jack Giles | We need to support and invest in youth. It is very important to keep our Christian culture active among our young people. |
| Leonard Hare | Youth work must be a priority for our Church |
| Tracey Smart | |
| Ellen Powell | MAYC was a vital part in my Christian life in the 60s.I have seen growth in my own Methodist Church thanks to our Youth leaders.Please give them all the support they need to encourage more young people. |
| Gordon/Irene Bestwick | MAYC - marriages at your convenience - where would we be without London Weekend 1973? |
| Lindsey Macfarlane |
I keep being told that young people are a priority for The Methodist Church but these cuts indicate quite the opposite.
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| Dorothy Gleaves | The church need youngsters, they need dedicated leaders, lose the leaders, and you use the youth. |
| Esther Huddleston | |
| Martin Ladds | |
| Neil Buckley | |
| Dave Smith | These proposals must have been thought up by Numpties... Invest in youth work while we still can |
| joy steele | |
| Chris Gee | Invest... invest... invest...
The Methodist Church has led the field in youth work, are we really going to stand by and let this happen? Surely we have the money we close and sell enough Churches, why not sell the offices in London and use that money? |
| Rachel Sweeney | MAYC is always the easy target... remember when we had a MethSoc secretary or when O & S were part of the work? Why is it always the work with the most important groups that gets cut?!? |
| Amy Milburn | Lets look to the future and put a strategy in place to take youth work forward. Gun crime and knife crime mean we need more people involved not less |
| G Hamilton | What can I say? Having read the background papers it is clear that the processes that have led to these proposals are flawed, inept and shouldn’t be trusted. Why has there not been proper consultation with MAYC staff? Young People? Youth workers? MAYC needs to change, it needs investment and young people must be at the heart of its work – read the YPS paper! The article by David Deeks in today’s Methodist Recorder is shocking – lacking vision, what are we to become a Church that only caters for the over 50’s! |
| Revd Christine Jones | The suggested cuts will damge current work and have serious implications for the future |
| PAUL . EDGEWORTH | |
| Gareth Lester | |
| Frances | We need more investment in young people and family's not pen pushing administrators |
| Gill Heels | I think it is of paramount importance that we continue to fund youth work in the Methodist church - I feel it is one of the most important areas of the church if the church is to continue to grow in the future. |
| Elaine Sargent | |
| Ron Wilson | More support, not less, is needed to secure the future of God's mission. |
| Tom Luke | I'm not much of a gardener, but I do know that if you cut off the healthy young shoots, the plant will soon wither and die. |
| Paul Tuffery | We need more support not less to encourage the good work done by the MAYC |
| Ann Beeton | Youth work in all departments of the Methodist Church needs our support, prayers, and funding. |
| Ann Tuffery | For the sake of the Methodist Church and the community we all need to support the vital work done by the MAYC |
| LynneTaylor | |
| Martin Williams | |
| Michael Brett | I cannot believe the powers that be in the Methodist Church are so short sighted as to ever consider cutting funding towards youth initiatives. If we do not 'capture' our youth what hope is there for the future of Christianity on earth. We should be giving all the support we can muster to ensure our youth not only hear the message but are encouraged to live and worship as believers. |
| Susan Brett | We need to resist this action!Matthew 9.5
If anyone causes one of these little ones to sin , it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung round his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.
With 6 children ( aged 2 - 18) all worshipping in the methodist church this sends out a very negative vibe. |
| Daniel Brett | Youth are not only the church of tomorrow we are the Church of today and funds are desperately needed to ensure that vital outreach and support for young people remains, or the Methodist Church will die! |
| Norma Klunder | |
| Peter Ellis | |
| Alyson Ellis | |
| Lynda Collins | This youth work is vital! |
| Peter Theobald | |
| Bruce Frost | I would not be where I am today, were it not for MAYC. |
| Marion Caldwell | |
| Bob Smith | MAYC and all youth work is vital. The young people are NOT the church of the future, they are part of the church today and we should increase our support, not look to reduce it. |
| Chris Rawlings | We worked for many years with young people and saw our own children and friends bennefit from what MAYC had to offer. Just because numbers may be falling is not an excuse tostop in fact we should be redoubling our efforts |
| Sarah Dodd | children and young people are God's voice for the future. Without them, the church will die. |
| David Greening | |
| Janet Mason | Jesus said, "Let the children come to me .........
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| David Elsbury | Young people today have the same needs as they did when MAYC was at the peak of its influence. We need to INCREASE not decrease our provision for work with young people. Have faith! |
| Tim Melling | This appears to be very short sighted. The youth in our Church are not our "future" they are our "today" |
| Juliette Korner | Youth is the future of the church, if you kill it off, there will be no more church. end of. |
| Richard Sheard | To cut staffing where its needed most is a very shortsighted step Its interesting to note that lay people will loose their jobs but ordained people will be absorbed back int ocircuits and I though the methodist church treated everyone alike |
| Rose Richardson | |
| David Herriott | As a one time spare time youth worker in theMethodist Church it seems a retrogade step to reduce national support. |
| Dave & Lynda Moss | We believe that reaching young people with the Gospel is essential and should be a high priority. |
| Rev Ray Trudgian | Owe everything to MAYC in remote Cornish Circuit over 50 years ago.Support petition |
| Eileen Hart | Where would Mehodism be today without those who were nurtured in MAYC. I know where Methodism will be in a few years without our Youth Workers. This is a lack of vision for |