The Commission on Young People in the Ecumenical Movement (YPEM) has elected four new vice moderators who are expected to “always bring forward the issues of young people’s experience”, together with working groups that are soon to be established.

In a recent meeting held in Manila, the CYPEM elected as vice moderators the following: Anne Christ Jacobs (United Methodist Church, USA); Lorena Bonilla Garcia (Mennonite Church of Colombia); Rev. Bjorn Warde ( Presbyterian Church of Trinidad and Tobago and Danil Arakelia (Russian Orthodox Church).

YPEM Moderator Karen Erina Puimera of the Protest Church in Western Indonesia welcomed the election of new vice moderators as she cited the accomplishments during Metro Manila meeting that was attended by many young people, many of them recounting their experiences from injustice.

“We’ve been very inspired by their journey, both with the National Council of Churches in the Philippines but also various ecumenical partners who have gathered together to say that following Christ and serving those in need are not crimes,” said Puimera.

Garcia also underscored the importance of getting to know the youth work of Filipinos.

“For us, it was the first time getting to know each other, so looking at all the relationships that can be built, and all the strong relationships that the youth movement here has, it was a very important way for me to think we can develop those kinds of relationships as commissioners,” said Garcia.

For his part, Warde noted that the first in-person meeting was an eyeopener.

He said: I think we collectively and collaboratively reallly seek to amplify the voices of our youth in the different contexts that we’re in, but also in the places that we’ve visited or have the opportunity to visit - like the Philippines in this case 0 so it’s really amplifying the voices of our youth.”


ON the other hand, Arakelian said his role in helping organize CYPEM discussions is a “special responsibility.”
“I plan to actively work with my church and the participants of the global ecumenical movement, so that the aims of the commission can be achieved,” he stated.

Hosted by the World Council of Churches and the National Council of Churches in the Philippines, theYPEM was held in Manila form November 13-19. The meeting sought to united “young ecumenical leaders from around the globe with amission to amplify youth voices, address pressing global and local challenges and establish intentional actionable, strategies for youth-led faith initiatives.”