'Communion in Action': Meadowbridge Extends Global Youth Day to a Week

Story by Terrina Williams

On Global Youth Day in March each year, youth in the worldwide Seventh-day Adventist Church are encouraged to dedicate their time and talent for community outreach. Young people at Potomac Conference’s Meadowbridge church in Mechanicsville, Va., participated by collecting donations for the nearby Heritage Green nursing home. 

The group had a “packing party,” when they assembled 45 gift bags filled with puzzle books, socks, lotion, Adventist pamphlets and handwritten greeting cards. The group also kept on celebrating throughout the week. 

The next day, Jake Staton, an elder and the Youth Ministries director at the church, launched the 2026 “Communion in Action” Youth Week of Prayer, which featured nightly meetings—many on Zoom. 

For each of the next six days, presenters from the group shared on different topics including prayer, digital ministry, God’s Revelation, the youth movement, spiritual gifts and Sabbath School. 

Leaders report the meetings were well-attended by family, friends, the church leaders and members of the congregation. Every presenter gave an in-depth look at their topic and engaged the audience in discussion.

Teron Salkey spoke about digital ministry. He says, “I could feel the positive energy through the Zoom call. … Spreading the gospel through your phone is about taking time to make a deep connection to people and not about how many views you get.” 

Another presenter, Michelle Maina, shared, “I have been blessed throughout the whole week to be able to see all my fellow youth … leading out. I have learned a lot and I’m sure that anybody who was able to attend can second that.” 

While presenting, she shared, “The truth is a lot of young people are struggling silently. They don’t say it out loud, but they feel it.” 

 Her message emphasized the importance of 1 Timothy 4:12: “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.” 

On March 28th, the Youth Ministries team partnered with their church’s nursing home ministry to lead worship with the nursing residents. They also delivered the gift bags to residents and then spent time talking with and praying over the residents. 

Staton says, “The residents had big smiles on their faces and they really enjoyed having time to talk and pray with the youth and some of them wanted to [share] big hugs. … 

"God is at work in our lives, and especially in the lives of our young people,” said church leaders.