Bishops Select Young Adults for Ecumenical Training

9/10/2018

Two young adults with ties to Western PA are among 10 selected by the Council of Bishops to participate in United Methodist Ecumenical and Interreligious Training. They are the Rev. Jack Tickle, pastor of Fairview UMC in the Erie-Meadville District, and the Rev. Michael Mullin, who grew up at Ingomar UMC and now serves as a pastor in the Upper New York Conference. 

The 10 participants selected for the UMEIT Young Adult Network (UMEIT: YAN) will be trained in group leadership skills, the history and theology of the ecumenical and interreligious movements, and how the UMC lives out Christian unity and interreligious relationships. The group of young adults, between the ages of 25 and 34, represent the jurisdictions and central conferences of the UMC and are both lay and clergy.

Jack Tickle III


Rev. Jack Tickle III was appointed pastor of Fairview UMC in 2017, the same year he was ordained an elder in the Western PA Conference. He previously served as pastor of South Greensburg United Methodist Church and associate pastor of Irwin First UMC and served as an intern doing children and you ministry at his home church, Holiday Park UMC. He is a graduate of Slippery Rock University and Pittsburgh Theological Seminary.               

Mike Mullin is the pastor for discipleship and youth at Asbury First UMC in Rochester, NY.  He has been at Asbury First since 2013 and previously worked in youth ministry in Nebraska. He earned his B.A. in Christian Education and Music (percussion) at Westminster College in New Wilmington, PA. Mike's sister, the Rev. Susan Moudry, serves as WPAUMC's coordinator of clergy excellence.
Michael Mullin


In addition to Tickle, who was endorsed by Bishop Cynthia Moore-Koikoi, and Mullin, endorsed by Bishop Mark Webb, the following young adults were selected: 
  1. Mauche Ishaya from Nigeria (endorsed by Bishop John Wesley Yohanna)
  2. Shannon Sullivan from Baltimore-Washington (endorsed by Bishop LaTrelle Easterling)
  3. Nick Baird-Chrisohon from Tennessee (endorsed by Bishop Bill McAlilly)
  4. Chloe Panaguiton from the Philippines (endorsed by Bishop Rudy Juan)
  5. Katye Chambers from Arkansas/Northern Illinois (endorsed by Bishop Sally Dyck)
  6. Michelle Chun from California Nevada (endorsed by Bishop Minerva Carcaño)
  7. John Lusulu Unda from DR Congo (endorsed by Bishop Gabriel Unda)
  8. George Dixon-Gough from the Methodist Church in Great Britain

“These young people will build community and study together via video conference for about two years.  They will also meet face-to-face two times.  And, each young adult will develop a network or ministry project to help them teach about ecumenism and interreligious relationships to young adults in their contexts,” said the Rev. Dr. Jean Hawxhurst, the Ecumenical Staff Officer of Leadership Development for the Council of Bishops.