Thousands of Seventh-day Adventist youth, parents, and pastors from across the United States, Canada, Bermuda, India, Africa, Europe, and the Caribbean, will gather in Indianapolis, Indiana, April 7 to speak out against community and school violence. The marchers, who are attending an Adventist youth conference that runs April 4 to 8, will gather in the city’s downtown area to pray for the families of the victims of violence.

North America’s youth are in trouble, says Pastor James Black, president of the Black Adventist Youth Directors Association, an organization of Adventist clergy that works to address issues facing Black youth in America. Responding to the recent California school shootings, Black said: “They don’t pray in school, they don’t pray at home, and almost everything else has failed. Why don’t people consider faith? We believe in the power of prayer. And while we still have their attention and time to raise them, were going to teach our youth to pray.”

This is the eighth time in 30 years that Adventist clergy from Bermuda, Canada, and the United States have convened a four-day “United Youth Congress.” Organizers expect some 40,000 participants.

The theme of the event is “The New Millennium—It’s all Jesus.” “Our goals are really about getting kids focused on what they want from life, and helping them learn to make good decisions,” explains Black, who is also the Adventist Church’s North American director of “Pathfinders”—a worldwide youth mentoring program. “In these times, spirituality should be a big part of life and everything we do—at work, at home, at play, in our community, even at school.

“This youth event and rally isn’t just about the good kids and what they’re doing or not doing,” adds Black, who has invited clergy of Indianapolis-area denominations to participate. “Because some kids have emotional problems, anger, and hurt feelings, we as parents and community leaders have to speak to their human needs and address the issues that are pressing in their lives right now.”

Youth delegates will participate in a wide range of conference activities and workshops dealing with personal development, as well as religious and social themes.