OUR MISSION AND VISION We want to love kids, tell them about Jesus and serve the Youth Workers and Volunteers who care for them in the Church. We seek to: -Present Jesus Christ to young people in such a way that they can make a non-pressured decision for Him -Nurture Christian kids in their walks with Jesus Christ -Equip & train youth workers to be more professionally competent in their calling -Strengthen and serve as a resource to the local church by providing a variety of high quality youth ministry programs and resources. HISTORY For more than 30 years, Youth Conference Ministries has been assisting the church in its ministry to youth. We love kids and youth workers, and we love seeing churches grow and thrive. So we offer events for kids – designed and led by youth workers to give youth workers and kids time to be together – and events for youth leaders, like our “Ascend YCM” events, which helps folks hone their skills in communicating with youth – and support for the local church through prayer, a listening ear, job location services and, well, pretty much anything we can think of that you might need. Early days of Fun in the Son YCM has grown from a single, 300-person senior-high conference starting in 1977 to more than 20 summer events (conferences and missions trips) and nearly 5,000 participants a year. This ministry started out as mainly a renewal movement of the Presbyterian Church USA, but by the 2000’s, YCM was completely independent, partnering with most every major denomination and any interested independent churches. Our events range from large, multi-hundred events in big venues, to small 100-person events in rustic camp-style settings. We work in other countries and down the street from our home office in Tennessee.

The Knoxville Area Urban League, a civil rights, economic development and social service organization, came into existence in 1968 at the height of the civil rights movement to promote equal employment opportunities for African-Americans in Knoxville, Tennessee. Today, the organization is a non-profit, non-partisan, interracial community-based organization, serving a diverse client base in Knox, Blount and Anderson counties. The Knoxville Area Urban League is an affiliate of the National Urban League, the country’s oldest and largest community-based movement devoted to empowering African Americans to enter the economic and social mainstream. Today, the National Urban League spearheads the non-partisan efforts of its local affiliates. The National Urban League has more than 100 affiliates located in 35 states and the District of Columbia, providing direct services to more than 2 million people nationwide through programs, advocacy and research.