David Toogood will soon start as Pulse’s Education and Resourcing Officer.
Mr Toogood’s role will involve developing and delivering Pulse’s Leadership Education Suite. This will involve assisting churches and ministries that desire to engage with and do ministry alongside those in the first third of life.
Mr Toogood will also work with the UME teams to create development and leadership pathways for youth and young adults.
“In short, I like to think of the role as this: Training leaders of young people, and training young people to lead,” he said.
“With a background in church ministry, school chaplaincy, and youth ministry spaces, I feel as though this is in many ways a job that brings together the breadth and depth of my career to date.”
Mr Toogood recently had the privilege of working with Fuller Youth Seminary for a little over a year for their Live A Better Story pilot program that, “reimagined what youth ministry can and should be for today’s generations.”
“I’m so excited at the opportunity to continue fostering and furthering these kinds of conversations,” he said.
“At the personal level, as someone just about to exit that ‘first third of life,’ I wish I’d had access to some of the visions and programs that UME has in mind to establish for our Synod. It’s a privilege to be a part of this stage in the journey.
Mr Toogood told Insights he was in the process of finishing his Masters and was “looking forward to finishing my degree and having a long nap.”
“I’m excited for the learning journey over the first few months in the role. Learning a new context, meeting leaders across our Synod, and starting to dream of what ministry with young people can be in the exciting and diverse spaces we inhabit.”
“Beyond that I wouldn’t want to be too prescriptive at this point in time, but really looking forward to seeing how we step forward as a church together into whatever God is calling us to next in ministry with young people.”
“If you are a young person who is passionate about your church, or indeed anybody who wants to dream and imagine in this space, I would love to hear from you as I settle into the role.”
