Empowering Young People to “Engineer Visions”

Kathleen Irah B. Magaliao

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not evil, to give you an expected end.” (Jeremiah 29: 11 KJV). The Lord has a vision for us, we should, too.

Young Leaders Summit 2017 marked me with one main thing – the importance of setting my purpose, my vision. Since high school, I have been attending leadership trainings in school and in the church. Every time I attend leadership trainings, speakers and trainers usually discuss the same topics!

I looked at the program of the Summit sent to us before the event, and I thought that it will be just another leadership training providing a nice refresher for my leadership knowledge. I looked forward to spending a week improving my skills, but it will probably be more of the same topics and lectures. Honestly, I wasn’t very excited. But people who attended it in the past told me it was fun. I looked forward to it. I prayed that God would prepare me to learn, be open to sharing, and be ready to apply the lessons afterwards.

During the training sessions, the one thing that struck me is the importance of having a vision. Visioneering is very critical.

Empowering young people to engineer visions made the Young Leaders Summit different than other leadership trainings I have attended. Leaders lead people. Visions lead leaders. We learned about the importance of having specific visions for our own contexts as church leaders. We were reminded of what our contexts need, whether as students or young professionals. Understanding our contexts, together with our faith, serves as ignition for change.

The Summit catered to the pool of chosen United Methodist young leaders in the Philippines, as well as from other Southeast Asian nations. We heard stories, struggles, victories, and challenges that helped us get connected as leaders from different places.

The Summit was a good avenue for learning, sharing, and empowering young leaders of the church. As Young People’s Ministries continue to implement this program, I truly believe that the United Methodist Church will stand strong and it will continue to fulfill its mission.

The Summit also reminded me that even as we dream, we need to act. We need to take steps toward the end we want to reach. We must stir our hearts, stir minds, stir people, and stir resources until we arrive at the destination we envisioned.

As I engineer my visions for our church, and even for myself, I will remember how the Young Leaders Summit trained me and helped me grow as a leader in the church.

May God bless this ministry. Si Kristo higit sa lahat! (Christ above all!)

Kathleen Magaliao attended the 2017 Young Leaders Summit, a program of Young Peoples Ministries, held in Baguio City in October 2017. She hails from the Northwest Philippines Annual Conference of the Philippines Central Conference of the United Methodist Church.