Through daily worship at the Global Young People’s Convocation, Lauren Canary experienced the beauty of what it means for The United Methodist Church to be a truly worldwide body of believers, free to live into their calling.
LAUREN CANARY
Pastor, Bronson: First and Colon UMCs
“This is my story, this is my song, praising my Savior all the day long . . . .”
Music has a way of bringing people together, closer to each other and closer to God. It allows connections to form that transcend borders, language barriers, and cultures.
At the Global Young People’s Convocation (GYPC) in Dublin, Ireland, youth and young adults from across our worldwide United Methodist connection sang together. We lifted our voices in praise, united by a universal rhythm. In that moment, the only thing that mattered was our interconnectedness and the love we have found through Jesus.
One experience that profoundly impacted me at GYPC was evening worship. After 12-hour days of workshops where we learned about Methodist history or discussed vocation and calling, young people came to worship. They showed up with new friendships that had formed and new ideas, and they were ready to claim their place at the table.
Evening worship consisted of two things: music and Holy Communion. It was a chance to center ourselves in our faith and to be outward signs of inward grace to one another through the remembrance of Jesus. Siblings in Christ from 15 different countries gathered to serve one another Holy Communion.
Do you realize how incredible that is? To my knowledge, the only other time lay members have an opportunity to gather on a global scale like this is at General Conference. However, General Conference is composed primarily of folks older than 45. So, being in a room with 500+ people under 35 who actively want to lead, create, and serve The United Methodist Church as we move into the future is astounding.
It is a rare opportunity to see in person what it means when we say we are a worldwide church. Standing beside peers from Germany, having Holy Eucharist blessed in Spanish, and receiving the elements from a youth from North Carolina are ways of actively living into our baptismal vows. It was an exceptional and beautiful thing to witness!
Throughout this experience, one song seemed to be sung louder than the others: “Blessed Assurance.” Penned by Fanny Crosby over 150 years ago, this song has blessed us through the ages and speaks to a joy-filled hope. Hope for a new tomorrow, one that takes all stories into account and invites conversation. It is a declaration to all that we have stories to tell, experiences to share, and a desire to live out a new vision. The young people at GYPC were calling out to God to help make this hope a reality.
Want to hear what young people from all over the world singing “Blessed Assurance” together was like? Watch this brief video clip and sing along with us!
If you want to see God in action, gather young people in a room where they can freely express themselves to their Creator. Conga lines will form, LGBTQ+ flags will wave, and energy will burst through the walls as the Holy Spirit takes over. By empowering and investing in youth, not only are they transformed individually, but the church as a whole metamorphizes into a stronger, more vibrant place for all ages.
Youth and young adult attendees of GYPC received partial financial support through grants from the Board of Young People’s Ministries and district grants, made possible by generous financial gifts from local United Methodist churches in Michigan through Ministry Shares. Thank you for investing in our young people! Learn about the impact of Ministry Shares on mission and ministry in Michigan and around the world.
Last Updated on July 22, 2026