The Young People’s Connectional Network (YPCN) is the new denomination-wide body for Young People in the United Methodist Church. The YPCN will be forming for the first time this year.

There is an application process to join the YPCN, if you would like to skip straight to the applications, you can find them here. An application should take between 30-60 minutes to complete. Applications will be accepted until July 31, 2024.

• English Application
• Portuguese Application
• Kiswahili Application
• French Application
• Russian Application
• German Application
• Spanish Application

More detailed information packets about the YPCN are available in multiple languages here. We encourage you to share these with youth, young adults, and adult workers who you believe would be excellent members of this body.

• English
• Português
• Kiswahili
• Français
• Pусский
• Deutsch
• Español

The Young People's Connectional Network (YPCN) is a worldwide representative body of The United Methodist Church for young people. The work of the YPCN is outlined in the 1,200 paragraphs in the 2020/2024 Book of Discipline. The YPCN is forming for the first time in 2024 following General Conference. The YPCN is an evolution of the previous denominational body for young people (the Division on Ministries with Young People or DMYP). Outlined below are some important changes.

The purpose of the YPCN is to advocate for the full participation of young people in all levels of The United Methodist Church, build global partnerships, and empower young people to make world-changing disciples of Jesus Christ. Our administrative order includes:

1. To advocate for the varied concerns of all young people;
2. To assist in planning and carrying out a quadrennial global young people’s gathering;
3. To provide administrative oversight of grants for ministries with young people distributed in consultation with the General Board of Church and Society, General Board of Discipleship, General Board of Global Ministries, and General Board of Higher Education and Ministry;
4. To promote grants for ministries with young people and the Youth Service Fund;
5. To recommend young people to nomination committees of general boards and agencies;
6. To collaborate with boards and agencies to provide young people with opportunities to listen, discern, and respond to their vocational call, whether laity or clergy.
7. To encourage the participation of young people in denominational, ecumenical, and inter-religious relationships and deliberations

*UMC 2020/24 Book of Discipline ¶ 1202

Since this is the first time that the YPCN will be organized, the leaders selected to serve will have a significant chance to shape the work outlined in the Book of Discipline. The YPCN will be regionally based, with two youth, two young adults, and one adult worker from each of the following four regions selected to serve a four-year term: Africa, Americas, Europe, Philippines. The selection team can also add up to four additional “balancing” members to ensure equity and diversity across the regions of the church.

The Young People’s Connectional Network is organized by Young People’s Ministries of the United Methodist Church and administrated through Discipleship Ministries of the United Methodist Church. If interested to apply, please do so by July 31, 2024, using the links above, and read the detailed information available for PDF download.

Questions? Contact Chris Wilterdink at cwilterdink@umcdiscipleship.org.