By Richard Norris, III, Connectional YPD President
It is my distinct honor and privilege to greet you for the very first time on behalf of the thousands of Allen’s youth and young adults from all around the world. I am grateful to God for the opportunity to serve as your International YPD President for the 2019-2023 quadrennium. Thank you for all of your support, prayers, and words of encouragement and affirmation. I am in eager anticipation of a great move of the Spirit over the next four years and I solicit your prayers as I endeavor to give transformative servant leadership to this organization.
To the bishops, episcopal supervisors, general officer, connectional officers, clergy, and laity, thank you for supporting the YPD over the years. We are only able to do the work that we do because you give your time, talents, and treasure. Certainly, to our commission chairperson, Bishop John White; the executive director of Global Witness and Ministry, the Rev. Dr. George Flowers; and our International Women’s Missionary Society President, Mrs. Deborah Taylor King, thank you for all the work that you do to keep the YPD kingdom-focused and ministry-minded. To our international director, Ms. Wanda Ringgold, thank you for the love that you continuously pour out upon the YPD.
My mission over these next four years can be found in these four simple words: “Believing in Young People.” Young people wander into our churches so beaten, battered, and broken by the world. All they want is to see Jesus. So, let’s show them Jesus. Let’s recommit ourselves to letting young people know that they are loved and respected, no matter what life throws their way; to effectively training young people to be strong Christian leaders and not just “good AMEs;” and to seeing the God-given potential in young people and not the man-made prescription for them.
I will be presenting my complete quadrennial vision at the Connectional YPD Executive Board Meeting in Houston, Texas. I ask that you keep the board in your prayers that God might continue to bless the endeavors of the Connectional YPD.
