"Leadership Under Construction” was the theme of a weekend training seminar which youth groups of the Pasadena and White Memorial churches attended during the summer. Seminar participants focused on the life of the Old Testament prophet Nehemiah during sessions at the Pasadena church on Friday and Saturday evenings and concluding on Sunday morning.

The youth received "Leadership under Construction" T-shirts and a seminar packet and enjoyed a meal together at each session. Cecelia Tauro, youth leader of the Pasadena church, led out. She was assisted by Kevin Morris, youth pastor for both churches.

Lectures as well as art projects and group activities were included in the program. In addition to learning principles of spiritual leadership, the youth established friendships.

“The seminar gave the youth the impetus they needed to lead out in events in both churches in the weeks following the training," said Morris. “Pasadena youth provided the team leaders for a vacation Bible school and young people at the White Memorial church worked with 'Urban Embrace,' the church’s annual six-week day camp.”

Pasadena youth also implemented leadership principles by presenting the church’s week of prayer in August, culminating in a youth Sabbath.

Each evening of the week, a youth group member presented a sermonette based on the fruits of the Spirit. “Where’s the Fruit?” was the theme for the week of prayer, challenging listeners to examine the quality and maturity of spiritual fruit in their lives.

On Sabbath morning, the youth group led the worship service. Christopher Villanueva, who recently served two tours of duty in Iraq with the U.S. Marine Corp, presented the message. Villanueva joined the Marines as a result of the terrorist attacks against the United States on Sept. 11, 2001.

In his message, based on Psalm 23, he stated, “While I was in Iraq, I saw evil up close and found myself in ‘the valley of the shadow of death.’ By the grace of God, I lived to tell about it.” The service concluded with a tribute to all in attendance who had served in the military.