The Episcopal Church has recently opened the application for the 80th General Convention.

The church has called on teens to be part of the Convention's Official Youth Presence 2022.

Chosen youth representatives will reportedly have a seat and voice in the House of Deputies.

Nomination And Application Process

According to a press release, the application is open to all youngsters aged 16 to 19.

The church will only receive the application and nomination forms until Dec. 23, Thursday.

The Episcopal Church also accepts the application and nomination forms in the Spanish language.

Meanwhile, those who will nominate for a youth representative must be unrelated to their nominees.

The Office of Faith Formation created a committee that will assess the applications.

The committee will reportedly select up to two youth from each of the nine provinces of the church.

Furthermore, The Episcopal Church will declare the chosen youth representatives in February.

The selected youngsters will undergo a series of orientations and training. It will take place from Mar. 31, until Apr. 2, 2022, in Baltimore, Maryland.

This is in preparation for their participation in the General Convention on July 4-14, 2022, in Baltimore.

Additional Criteria For Official Youth Presence

The Episcopal Church has listed additional criteria in the selection of the Official Youth Presence team.

Applicants must be active members and communicants in any Episcopal church congregation.

Apart from that, they must be an enrolled high school student. Applicants and nominees must be in grades 9-12 for the school year 2021-2022.

The church is also looking for teens who can travel alone by train or plane. They must travel to and from meetings in the United States without being escorted.

The church budget shoulders the travel expenses of the Official Youth Presence team. The church will also provide accommodation and meals for the participants.

Listening to the Voices of Youth

As per the press release, Rev. Gay Clark Jennings expressed his excitement with the youth group. She is the president of the House of Deputies.

Rev. Jennings said that she looks forward to welcoming the Official Youth Presence members.

The president stated that the opinions and experiences of youngsters could inspire the legislative process.

She reiterated that they want to give space in the Convention to "hear the voices of young people."

"Forty years later, we continue to make that space, engage in education about our polity and governance," she said.

Rev. Gay added that they want to help the youth "as they discern their opinions and claim their voices."

The president further stressed that they are blessed to have these young minds in the Convention.

About The Episcopal Church

The Episcopal Church accepts all those who believe in Jesus Christ, its website shared.

The website noted that parishioners come from more than 100 Dioceses and regional areas. These faith communities are located in 17 nations.

The Episcopal Church focuses on proclaiming and evangelizing the Word of God.

The church also reportedly prioritizes reconciliation and stewardship of God's creations.

The New York City-based religious community also promotes the "Jesus Movement."

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