|TOP|A major consultation has been launched by the Methodist Church to find out what young people and children want from the Church.

The Future Present consultation will run from the summer until November and will involve children, young people, parents, youth workers and even older members of the Church.

It is hoped the consultation will bring out some ways in which the Church can improve its youth work.

The Coordinating Secretary for Worship and Learning, the Rev Jonathan Kerry, said, “We currently work with 168,000 under-18s in church groups and many more who are not part of any groups.

|AD|“We need to make sure we are doing all we can for those young people, as well as those we don’t reach at the moment.

“In recent years there have been many changes affecting children’s lives, which gives the Church the challenge of how to adapt what we do.”

The consultation encourages both young and old members to consider what the Church does for young people but also why.

“It is all too easy to think that adults know best but this often isn’t true,” said Rev Kerry. “We want everyone have his or her say.

“Young people have a lot of ideas and energy, and we have to include that in what we do.”

Much of the youth work undertaken by the Methodist Church currently centres on the traditional Sunday service. Numerous parent and toddler groups are offered by the Church as well as other initiatives including sports clubs, music groups, street pastors and work with young offenders.