The Journal: News of the Churches of God

CG7s' 2002 convention will target young adults

By Dixon Cartwright

Members of two Sabbatarian congregations, the Mount Zion Church of God 7th Day of Brooklyn, N.Y., and Shiloh Church of God 7th Day in Hyattsville, Md., are mounting a campaign--called Project 2002--to involve teenagers and young adults in planning a convention for Sabbatarian-Christian young people.

The gathering will be called Convention 2002, for young-adult Church of God (Seventh Day) members, and will take place at a location yet to be determined (possibly Florida) in the summer of 2002.

Gilford T. Monrose of the Mount Zion congregation and Daniel R. Ray of the Shiloh group want to include activities that will "build, expand and educate spiritually and naturally our young people within the Churches of God (Seventh Day) Worldwide," Mr. Ray told The Journal.

Mr. Monrose calls the project a "bold initiative to host a young-adult convention."

Mr. Monrose is editor of In Him newsletter and youth director for the Mount Zion congregation, on 37th Street in Brooklyn. Mr. Ray is youth minister of Shiloh Church of God 7th Day in Hyattsville.

"We are not constrained by organizational politics," said Mr. Ray. "We're just two brothers with a vision, zeal and purpose. Our desire is to respond to the many young voices that we have heard in our American and Caribbean churches to have some type of youth convention. We are launching this endeavor with the total guidance of the Lord and His Holy Spirit."

The predominantly black congregations Mr. Monrose and Mr. Ray serve are not affiliated with the largest CG7 denomination, the Denver Conference of the Church of God (Seventh Day).

Although the churches are "predominantly black," said Mr. Monrose, "everyone is invited."

The long-range goal of the convention project for young adults, said Mr. Monrose, is to teach and encourage young men and women to minister to their brethren in various capacities.

"The young adults will be the generation to lead the church throughout the 21st century," he said. "We are not trying to form any type of elitist group, only an avenue that will bring us together and not feel as if we are the only young Sabbath-keepers in the world. We want to bridge the gap."

The Mount Zion congregation in Brooklyn, of which Mr. Monrose is a member, is affiliated with a headquarters congregation in Jerusalem. The congregation in Maryland Mr. Ray attends is not officially affiliated with any other congregation.

To participate in Project 2002, Mr. Monrose asks that interested parties fill out a survey form and return it to him or Mr. Ray by April 30.

To request a form, contact Mr. Ray at (301) 894-7966 or deaconray1@aol.com or Mr. Monrose at (718) 342-7971 or gilmonrose@hotmail.com. Or write Youth Convention 2002, 203 E. 37th St., Brooklyn, N.Y. 11203, U.S.A.

To subscribe to In Him, contact Mr. Monrose at either of his addresses, above. For times and locations of Sabbath services of the two congregations, contact Mr. Ray or Mr. Monrose.

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