Sanctuary Starts with You
By Jeehye Kim, Senior Director of Marketing and Communications
I recently had the joy of representing GCORR at the Global Young People's Convocation in Dublin, Ireland, where Rev. Dr. Giovanni Arroyo and I led a workshop titled Who Are You? Identity, Culture, and Building the Beloved Community. Rooted in the conference theme of sanctuary, we invited youth and young adults from across our worldwide United Methodist connection to reflect on how our identities and cultures shape the communities and church we create — communities and spaces of sanctuary.
The workshop room was full. More importantly, it was full of sharing and honesty. Young people shared stories with vulnerability about their cultures, families, joys, struggles, and faith. Together we discovered that beloved community is not created by becoming more alike, but by bringing our unique experiences, gifts, and perspectives together with openness and care.
One activity asked participants to imagine they could pack only three items in a backpack to tell the story of who they are. I was deeply moved by their responses. Some chose family photos, a beloved grandmother's spatula, a journal, or a Bible; simple items that reflected the people, memories, cultures, and faith that have shaped who they are. It was a beautiful reminder that many young people are not walking away from faith but they are seeking communities where they can live it authentically and where they are welcomed as their whole selves.
The workshop was only one part of what made this gathering so meaningful. Throughout the week, I listened to stories from every corner of our worldwide connection. Each voice carried a unique story of ministry and discipleship, and together they painted a picture of a Church that is richer, stronger, and more beautiful because of its diversity.
One story that has stayed with me came from a young adult from Ukraine. As war continues to disrupt daily life in their country, they shared how they are helping create safe spaces where other young people can gather, find peace, worship together, and simply experience moments of sanctuary even when the world around them is anything but safe. Their witness reminded me that sanctuary is far more than a building. It is something we create through love, courage, and community, especially in the midst of uncertainty and suffering.
Being in Ireland also widened my own perspective. Surrounded by people from around the world, listening to different languages, accents, and stories, I was reminded that the world and the Church is so much bigger than the concerns we often carry in the United States. I found myself delighting in the beauty of God's creation — not only in Ireland's breathtaking landscapes, but in the diversity of God's people gathered together in one place. For a few days, I experienced a glimpse of the worldwide Church that God is continually shaping.
I left Dublin feeling hopeful, energized, and humbled. Hopeful because I witnessed so much laughter, curiosity, worship, and celebration that it reminded me God is always doing something wonderful among us. Energized because being surrounded by hundreds of young followers of Christ renewed my own spirit and reminded me that the Holy Spirit continues to move throughout our worldwide connection. And humbled because I realized how much there is still to learn from one another when we approach each other with openness rather than certainty.
Sanctuary is not simply a place we enter. It is something we create together every time we make room for another person's story, every time we honor the cultures and identities that God has woven into the Church, and every time we choose belonging over fear.
In addition to leading the workshop, I also had the opportunity to attend the Young People's Connectional Network (YPCN) board meeting as a representative of a United Methodist agency. It was a fruitful time of collaboration, discernment, and decision-making as we discussed matters of ministry for and with young people across our worldwide connection.
I left encouraged by the passion and wisdom around the table and proud to be part of a denomination that values the leadership, voices, and lived experiences of young people. They are not simply the future of the Church — they are an essential part of who we are today. That commitment gives me hope for where God is leading our connection.
My prayer is that we continue to build churches where people of every culture, language, generation, and lived experience know they belong. Because when we celebrate the beautiful diversity of God's people and make space for one another to flourish, we become a living witness to God's beloved community.
That is sanctuary. And for a few days in Dublin, I was blessed to experience it.
Read about the gathering in the UM News Article.