6.12 The Pentecostal Churches Youth Work (PU) In 1967 the first nationwide conference for children and youth workers was held within the Swedish Pentecostal Movement. This conference was followed up for several years, in 1969, 1970 and 1971. At the conference they discussed questions of general interest. In 1970 at the conference in Orebro a proposal was made as to a common organization. This organization was to represent the Young Peoples work within the Pentecostal Churches before the legal authorities.211 6.12.1 Personal Initiative In February Åke Boberg and Allan Näslund contacted the board of Education (SÖ) in order to find out the regulations valid for government grants for the youth work among Christian youth leaders. This resulted in ‛some brethren from the middle part of Sweden‛ being called to a meeting at Eskilstuna. This immediately led up to a new committee meeting. This time ‛with about thirty pastors and youth workers.‛ On what grounds these individuals were selected is not stated. At this time ‛some brethren were asked to send a delegation to the board of Education (SÖ).‛ While there ‛the delegates strongly stressed that the constituting of a Young People’s Association for the whole country within the Pentecostal Revival was completely unthinkable.‛ The ‛SÖ‛ then remarked that the only thing they requested, for their part, was ‛a contacting organ necessary for the administration of grants from the State.‛ This decision was then discussed at the above mentioned nation-wide conference in Örebro. At that time ‛the brethren unanimously supported the idea of continuing to work out a solution to this question.‛ At the preachers’ week in the Philadelphia Church in Stockholm in December, 1970 ‛the question was raised about governmental grant‛.212 Before that time the Pentecostal Churches had cooperated with ‛at least five different study associations.‛ Through these channels they had received support for both study circles and leisure time groups. Now the ‛SÖ‛ had informed the delegates of a different procedure. The grants given to the study circles were also to be, in the _________________ 211 Gustin 1972, ‛Kort historik‛. 212 Lecture by Allan Näslund reproduced in Gustin 1972.
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