2007 AADVENT Young Adult Conference
The theme for the 2007 Conference was Receive, Reconnect, Respond: What Will Jesus Do With You? The conference was held in August at McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago. Asian American young adults from across the country and of many different ethnicities and denominations were in attendance.
Conference Video 1
AADVENT 2007 Young Adult Conference from Richard Pak on Vimeo.
Keynote Speakers
Stacy Kitahata
Coordinator of Evangelical Outreach, ELCA Region 1, Seattle, WA
Uriah Kim
Professor of Hebrew Bible, Hartford Seminary
Preachers
Jose Morales
Associate Pastor, Iglesia del Pueblo Hope Center (Hammond, IN)
Jean Kim
Presbyterian pastor, social worker, and mental health counselor
Chuck Kim
Young adult TASTE Participant
Workshops
Please, God, IM NOW! (Workshop on vocation)
Lead by Diana Nishita Cheifetz, Presbyterian minister and spiritual director with the Lloyd Center at San Francisco Theological Seminary.
Asian Americans and the Immigration Debate
Lead by Richard Pak, McCormick student and Jessica Vazquez Torres, National Religious Outreach Coordinator with Interfaith Worker Justice in Chicago, IL.
You, Jesus, and Money: Can You Have It All and Still Save Your Soul?
Lead by Wally Verdooren, VP for Seminary Relations and Development at McCormick Theological Seminary.
God's Word in Movement
Lead by Joann Lee and Kim Kavazanjian, McCormick students.
The Ethics of Mission: Christians and Race, Citizenship and Power
Lead by Sung Yeon Choi, McCormick student and David Esterline, VP for Academic Affairs at McCormick Theological Seminary.
Beyond Treehugging: The Bible and Environmental Justice
Lead by Emily McGinley, McCormick student and Ted Hiebert, Professor of Old Testament at McCormick.
Site Visits
Iglesia del Pueblo - Hope Center, Hammond, IN
Iglesia del Pueblo — Hope Center (IDP) is a predominantly Latino, multicultural congregation with an average worship attendance of approximately 130. We are “in covenant” with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) of the USA and Canada. Located in a diverse community just southeast of Chicago, IDP is in the process of developing “Hope Center,” a social outreach program for youth and their families with an after-school drop-in center, tutoring program, recreational activities, health and nutrition, and a wide range of service for families in the region.
Ravenswood Fellowship United Methodist Church, Chicago, IL
Ravenswood Fellowship United Methodist Church is located in an urban community on the northside of Chicago. Historically a Japanese American church, this church has many members involved in the community around issues of racial justice. Many Japanese Americans relocated to Chicago at the end of World War II, after having spent 3 years in American concentration camps (also known as Japanese American internment), and some joined one of the churches that merged into the Ravenswood church.
Interfaith Council for the Homeless, Chicago, IL
Interfaith Council for the Homeless covenants with individuals and religious organizations to express and act upon their concern for Homeless persons. Interfaith Council for the Homeless provides direct services and public education and advocacy. Interfaith Council for the Homeless has three core programs it utilizes to offer much needed services to the homeless population of Chicago. Our Work is a set of these new programs designed to solve homelessness. Sanctuary Place, Housing First, and our newest program Interfaith Homes are programs set to offer permanent housing to homeless families in order to get them back on their feet and out of homelessness for good.