15 October 2022
To supporters and friends of the PC(USA) Young Adult Volunteer program:
Grace and peace to you from the Site Coordinators of the seven US-based YAV sites.
Representing more than 75 years of ministry through the PCUSA’s flagship program for young adults, the Young Adult Volunteer program, we are writing this letter to share our current crisis and to call for urgent action. Even in the midst of our 2022-2023 program year, we are looking forward with fear that the 2023-2024 program year might be our last, due to underfunding and under enrollment over the past 3 years. We have called on the Presbyterian Mission Agency (PMA) to take bold steps to acknowledge the importance of the YAV program as part of PCUSA’s Matthew 25 ministry movement, as a key part of sustaining the church, and as a decades-long partnership between the denomination and local YAV sites. While this conversation is ongoing, we have heard clearly from PMA representatives that YAV sites need to look outside of the institutional structure for sustainability. We write collectively today in a spirit of transparency and community connection, to build awareness of the situation within the wider community and activate supporters for action.
The past three years have seen a dramatic decline in the number of YAVs enrolled in the program - from more than 50 in 2019-20, 26 in 2021-22, and 21 for the current 2022-23 program year (the in-person YAV year was canceled for 2020-2021 due to the pandemic). We know that this is a time of transition and change at PMA, including the latest mandate from the PCUSA General Assembly for the Office of the General Assembly (OGA) and Presbyterian Mission Agency (PMA) to merge. We empathize with the challenges. This time of transition could be an opportunity for the church to move from a sense of scarcity to abundance, to see the power of nurturing young adult leadership, and to reinforce support for the development of current and future church leadership through the Young Adult Volunteer program. Instead, we have seen a pattern in PMA of de-prioritizing the YAV Louisville office, cutting YAV program budgets, and leaving a critical YAV recruitment staff position vacant for more than 18 months.
Local sites do not receive sustaining annual funding from the PCUSA - the biggest portions of YAV site budgets generally consist of YAV fundraising, contributions from the organizations where YAVs work during their year, local Presbytery support, and individual donors. The current per YAV funding to national sites from PCUSA is only $2500 per YAV, despite the fact that YAVs themselves raise $4000 to participate in the program.
Historically, responsibility for overall sustainability and health of the YAV program as a whole has been held primarily by the YAV office in Louisville and the institutional church represented by PMA. Given the trajectory of the past three years, we worry that PMA is no longer able to fulfill these commitments.
Local sites are working hard to imagine new and renewed ways to host young adults exploring mission service. We are committed to the PCUSA and celebrate our Presbyterian roots even as we navigate the changes within the denomination and seek other partnerships. Please sign up to receive further updates as we continue to strategize, plan, and serve.
We know that there are still young adults who long for the growth, discernment, and service that YAV offers. We pray that this moment of crisis will be a catalyst for new creativity, connection, and growth. To live into this calling, we need your help.
Please take action:
Young Adult Volunteer Program National Site Coordinators
To supporters and friends of the PC(USA) Young Adult Volunteer program:
Grace and peace to you from the Site Coordinators of the seven US-based YAV sites.
Representing more than 75 years of ministry through the PCUSA’s flagship program for young adults, the Young Adult Volunteer program, we are writing this letter to share our current crisis and to call for urgent action. Even in the midst of our 2022-2023 program year, we are looking forward with fear that the 2023-2024 program year might be our last, due to underfunding and under enrollment over the past 3 years. We have called on the Presbyterian Mission Agency (PMA) to take bold steps to acknowledge the importance of the YAV program as part of PCUSA’s Matthew 25 ministry movement, as a key part of sustaining the church, and as a decades-long partnership between the denomination and local YAV sites. While this conversation is ongoing, we have heard clearly from PMA representatives that YAV sites need to look outside of the institutional structure for sustainability. We write collectively today in a spirit of transparency and community connection, to build awareness of the situation within the wider community and activate supporters for action.
The past three years have seen a dramatic decline in the number of YAVs enrolled in the program - from more than 50 in 2019-20, 26 in 2021-22, and 21 for the current 2022-23 program year (the in-person YAV year was canceled for 2020-2021 due to the pandemic). We know that this is a time of transition and change at PMA, including the latest mandate from the PCUSA General Assembly for the Office of the General Assembly (OGA) and Presbyterian Mission Agency (PMA) to merge. We empathize with the challenges. This time of transition could be an opportunity for the church to move from a sense of scarcity to abundance, to see the power of nurturing young adult leadership, and to reinforce support for the development of current and future church leadership through the Young Adult Volunteer program. Instead, we have seen a pattern in PMA of de-prioritizing the YAV Louisville office, cutting YAV program budgets, and leaving a critical YAV recruitment staff position vacant for more than 18 months.
Local sites do not receive sustaining annual funding from the PCUSA - the biggest portions of YAV site budgets generally consist of YAV fundraising, contributions from the organizations where YAVs work during their year, local Presbytery support, and individual donors. The current per YAV funding to national sites from PCUSA is only $2500 per YAV, despite the fact that YAVs themselves raise $4000 to participate in the program.
Historically, responsibility for overall sustainability and health of the YAV program as a whole has been held primarily by the YAV office in Louisville and the institutional church represented by PMA. Given the trajectory of the past three years, we worry that PMA is no longer able to fulfill these commitments.
Local sites are working hard to imagine new and renewed ways to host young adults exploring mission service. We are committed to the PCUSA and celebrate our Presbyterian roots even as we navigate the changes within the denomination and seek other partnerships. Please sign up to receive further updates as we continue to strategize, plan, and serve.
We know that there are still young adults who long for the growth, discernment, and service that YAV offers. We pray that this moment of crisis will be a catalyst for new creativity, connection, and growth. To live into this calling, we need your help.
Please take action:
- Sign up for our collective mailing list to receive more updates and information as this situation develops.
- Presbyteries and churches: we have heard clearly that World Mission listens to your voices. Can you email Rev Mienda Uriarte (mienda.uriarte@pcusa.org) to ask for the hiring of a permanent, full-time recruiter for the YAV program?
- Can you connect with your Presbytery or Synod to bring local and regional funding to bear in support of local YAV ministries? Contact your nearest local YAV site for specific advocacy requests.
- Can you recruit for the YAV program? A robust 2023-2024 YAV class is critically important to the survival of local YAV sites
- Can you donate directly to your local YAV site?
Young Adult Volunteer Program National Site Coordinators
- Luke Rembold, Albuquerque, abqyav@gmail.com
- Selena Hilemon, Asheville, handsandfeetavl@gmail.com
- Jack Mattingly, Chinook, jack_mattingly@yahoo.com
- Dan Wally Lang, New Orleans, dan@pbysouthla.org
- Maureen Anderson, New York, wmrsanderson@gmail.com
- Alison Wood, Tucson Borderlands, tucsonborderlandsyav@gmail.com
- Blair Moorhead, Washington, D.C., dcyavprogram@gmail.com
