Developing, sustaining and/or revitalizing a Youth Ministry in this day and age has become increasingly difficult. Many congregations have very few youth, the ones that are present disappear by the time they reach high school and get a driver's license. Or they struggle to maintain interest and focus on faith formation.  Yet the call to respond to the needs of young people, to provide them with the experiences that will nurture and strengthen their faith is a challenge that each community of faith must meet. 

This interactive workshop will provide religious leaders and leadership teams with a few seeds to grow a sustainable ministry in their setting. Come prepared to get your hands dirty, turn over the dirt and watch God cause an increase in your ministry with and to youth.

Rev. Da Vita “Day” McCallister is a partner, mother, ordained minister, entrepreneur, philanthropist, writer and advocate for youth and young adults.   She currently serves as the Associate Conference Minister for Youth and Young Adults in the CT Conference of the United Church of Christ.  She leads the Youth and Young Adult Ministry Team within the Conference.  The mission of the YYA Ministry Team is to grow a Faith Forming, Multi/Racial Multi/Cultural, Open and Affirming, Accessible to All, Just Peace, Globally Minded Movement of youth and young adults.

She has shared her love, passion and wisdom in youth and young adult ministries, for over 25 years,  in a number of settings including, the Fund for Theological Education, the National Setting of the United Church of Christ and the United Methodist Church.

Rev. McCallister’s current projects include growing “Thinking About Working for God,” a judicatory initiative that is creating an environment where youth and young adults can freely explore a call to authorized ministry, completing work on a new resource for youth leaders called: Growing Sustainable Youth Ministries; and funding the first named scholarship from her foundation. 

She takes great pride in her Christian heritage as the great-grand daughter of the late Rev. Jesse B. Baldwin a Baptist minister and pastor of over 65 years in rural Florida.