[The Living Church] An organisation formed in America to increase the representation in church leadership of clergy born between 1961 and 1981 (the so-called "Generation X"), has agreed to widen its membership to include lay people and those of different generations.

Gathering The neXt Generation (GTNG) met recently in St Louis, where they adopted an initiative for a ministry network that will operate at a grassroots level, with local groups managing their own needs. Connections, resources and support will be available from the umbrella organisation.

GTNG established a set of core values for a ministry network at its March 2000 meeting, including being Christ-centred, valuing the leadership of Generation X, putting relationships in Christ above other issues that might divide, and restoring unity with God and each other in Christ.

"This is a big change," said the Revd Christopher Rankin-Williams from California about the change in membership, "because many people have come to think of GTNG as a clergy association. But we cannot be true to the energy we feel for mission without widening our scope."

Several organisations in the United States have been formed in recent years to address the problem of under-representation of the twenty and thirty somethings in the church, This has led to a confusing array of meetings, conferences and groups that are often attempting to deal with the same issues.

"The model of a special interest group with a membership doesn't fit us anymore," according to the Revd Vicki Zust from Ohio. "On the other hand, the model of a network both describes what we are and bears witness to how we see the church of the future best functioning."