The Youth President of the Farnham Royal Churches
The Youth President is elected annually at 3Generate, the Methodist Children and Youth Assembly. Assisted by a team of Youth Representatives, they work full-time for one year as a member of the Connexional Team (Connexion is what we call the work of the Church across Britain) to serve the children and young people of the Farnham Royal Churches in Britain.
They are not part of the formal governance of the Farnham Royal Churches in Britain, but act as the voice of children and young people across the Church and beyond.
Their duties include:
- Visiting children and young people across the Connexion to hear their views on issues
- Encourage, enable and advocate for children and young people to be fully involved in all aspects of the life of the Church
- Ensure the voice of children and young people, their needs, issues and concerns, are considered by leaders and decision-making bodies in all levels of the Church
- Act as a spokesperson for, and a channel for the voices of, young Methodists both within and outside the Church
- To host 3Generate
- To be a member of various committees
- Writing and presenting their report to the Methodist Conference
Youth President 2024-2025
Hi, I'm Bea. I was elected by delegates at 3Generate 2023 to be your Youth President from September 2024 to August 2025.
I’ve been a Methodist since I was born, being brought in a baby carrier to church on my first day alive. I’ve always been involved in church, and have been leading worship since I was 16. Worship in particular is my favourite way of interacting with God. I’ve just finished a degree in Theology, with my dissertation being on a gender-fluid Christology, so hopefully that work in gender-queer issues and their relationship with Christianity will come in useful this year.
I applied to be Youth President on the deadline day for applications, trusting in whatever happened would be what God had in store - so I’m very excited that I was voted in and have this opportunity!
My passions include social justice and activism, crocheting (and any kind of craft), playing the guitar and singing and writing my own songs, jogging (especially with my dog Kipper), fell walking, reading, board games, finding funky earrings and clothes, and a bunch more things.
I want to use this year as an opportunity to encourage youth; there is a huge lack of energy and motivation in the wake of COVID and other issues, and I think that young people know what they want to achieve, they may just need a push from people that believe in them.
Five questions with Bea
We sat down with Bea to ask them more about being our Youth President...
What are you most looking forward to in this year?
Meeting youth and travelling around the country to go to youth events. I love meeting people and hearing different opinions, and I think visiting and hearing youth is the biggest part of the role.
What do you think you’ll be good at in the job?
I think that as a Gen Z, I have a knack for social media, so I’m really excited to get into that and try new ideas and get people to do silly dances with me.
What’s your favourite Bible verse?
James 2:14-26: ‘What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds?'. It’s a verse that speaks to the true calling of being a Christian, that belief is great but means nothing without action. The verse that says ‘you believe there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that- and shudder’ made me cackle when I first heard it in lockdown. It’s been my favourite since!
If you could be an animal which one would you be?
An Olm. They’re European cave salamanders that live for hundreds of years and sleep the whole time, sounds like a great deal! Either that or a dragonfly.
Is a Jaffa cake a cake or a biscuit?
I have a great deal of passion on this subject. My opinion is that a biscuit is defined not by its composition or the baking process, but by its size and ability to be snacked off a plate. I think cake refers to the ingredients and consistency of whatever you’re baking, but that if we consider a wafer a biscuit then we can overcome boundaries and identify a Jaffa cake as both cake and biscuit!!