Kabataang Ekyumenikal sa Isla Negros ug Siquijor

(Local Ecumenical Youth Assembly of Negros Oriental-Siquijor)

Christian Youth Fellowship (Negros Oriental-Siquijor District Conference, North Negros Conference and Central Negros Associate Conference)
Youth of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente (Diocese of Negros Oriental and Siquijor)
United Methodist Youth Fellowship in the Philippines (UMYFP).

January 31, 2019

SUBJECT: Youth-Led Celebration of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

TO THE MEMBERS OF THE LOCAL MEDIA:

Greetings of peace in the name of our Lord!

We would like to formally invite you to our local launching of the Youth-Led Celebration of
the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity will be held on February 7 to 9, 2019. This will be the
first event of the ecumenical youth assembly together with the Focolare Youth (Roman
Catholic Church).

The ecumenical worships will begin at exactly 6:00 in the evening to be held on the following
dates and venues:

 February 7 – hosted by the Iglesia Filipina Independiente

Cathedral of St. Andrew the Apostle, Aldecoa Drive, Daro, Dumaguete City
 February 8 – hosted by the Silliman University Church (in covenant with the United
of Christ in the Philippines), Silliman University, Hibbard Avenue, Dumaguete City
 February 9 – hosted by the Focolare Movement Dumaguete (of the Roman Catholic
Church), Bishop’s Residence, Bagacay, Dumaguete City

We extend our deepest appreciation in advance, for your media coverage and active
participation in this youth-led activity. We continue to bear the unity of the Holy Spirit in our
common mission and ministry. May the God of peace and love continually bless you!

For oikoumene,

KLEIN EMPERADO
General Secretary
 Kabataang Ekyumenikal sa Isla Negros ug Siquijor
(Local Ecumenical Youth Assembly of Negros Oriental-Siquijor)
Christian Youth Fellowship (Negros Oriental-Siquijor District Conference, North Negros Conference and Central Negros Associate Conference)
Youth of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente (Diocese of Negros Oriental and Siquijor)
United Methodist Youth Fellowship in the Philippines (UMYFP).

ORGANIZATIONAL PROFILE

The Local Ecumenical Youth Assembly - Kabatan-onang Ekyumenikal sa Isla Negros ug

Siquijor (LEYA-KEINUS) was organized originally in 2013 and was originallly called
Kabataang Ekyumenikal sa Negros Oriental ug Siquijor. It is a recognized organization
under the Kalipunan ng Kristiyanong Kabataan ng Pilipinas which is also af.liated with the
National Council of Churches in the Philippines.
The founding church youth organizations were the following: Christian Youth Fellowship
(Negros Oriental-Siquijor District Conference, North Negros Conference and Central Negros
Associate Conference); Youth of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente (Diocese of Negros
Oriental and Siquijor) and United Methodist Youth Fellowship in the Philippines (UMYFP).
The formal reorganization was held last November 17 to 18, 2018 during the
#Pakigdugtong- the 1 st Ecumenical Youth Camp participated by the Christian Youth
Fellowship (CYF) and the Youth of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente (YIFI) in partnership
with the Silliman University Divinity School Student Assembly. Youth leaders from two
churches: United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) and the Iglesia Filipina
Independiente (IFI) gathered for a camp to learn deeper on ecumenism at the Silliman
University Divinity School (SUDS). Participants of the said camp came from UCCP’s Negros
Siquijor District Conference and the North Negros Conference, which also includes areas in
Negros Occidental and IFI’s Diocese of Negros Oriental and Siquijor.

The said ecumenical camp af.rmed and transformed into ;esh the 1999 Covenant of
Partnership signed by the two churches: the Iglesia Filipina Independiente (IFI) - a church
separated from Rome but retained its Catholic practice/tradition and the United Church of
Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) - a union of churches from the Reformed tradition.
At the close of the said gathering, a plenary was held to approve the statement called “SUDS
Ecumenical Youth Covenant,” the changing of the local ecumenical youth assembly’s of.cial
name to Kabatan-onang Ekyumenikal sa Isla Negros ug Siquijor and the election of the
organization’s of.cers.
LEYA-KEINUS Executive Council
General Secretary – Klein F. Emperado (YIFI)
Committee Chairs
Christian Education and Nurture – Arnneil V. Balderas (CYF)
Organizing and Membership – Aloha Marie C. Albina (CYF)
Social Witness and Service – Deomasis Patria V. Narciso (YIFI)
Finance and Income Generation – Rey Anthony Andaya (CYF)
Research, Documentation and Publication – Gloria Gem Lumayag (CYF)
Ex-Of$cio Members
DSSA President – James Israel Cababan
CYF – NNC President – Gemar Cadiz
CYF-NSDC President – Jediael Minguito
YIFI – DINOS President – DM Lorena V. Narciso
 Kabataang Ekyumenikal sa Isla Negros ug Siquijor
(Local Ecumenical Youth Assembly of Negros Oriental-Siquijor)
Christian Youth Fellowship (Negros Oriental-Siquijor District Conference, North Negros Conference and Central Negros Associate Conference)
Youth of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente (Diocese of Negros Oriental and Siquijor)
United Methodist Youth Fellowship in the Philippines (UMYFP).

The local ecumenical youth organization also approved to formally enter into a partnership
with the Silliman University Divinity School Student Assembly, which will serve a vital role
in providing continuing learning activities for the ecumenical youth assembly.
The .rst event held by the said ecumenical council upon its recent reorganization was the
hosting of the National Executive Committee Meeting of the Kalipunan ng Kristiyanong
Kabataan ng Pilipinas and the Timpuyog (An Ecumenical Youth Worship through Arts and
Music) last December 14 to 15, 2018 at the Cathedral of St. Andrew the Apostle and the
Dumaguete UCCP City Church, respectively.
Recently, the local ecumenical youth assembly has established a link with the Focolare Youth
of the Roman Catholic Church in order to formally launch a local version of the Week of
Prayer for Christian Unity by February 2019.