Last Post Before Convention: Ministry to Youth

Our electing convention will begin on Friday, and The Reverend Reporter has time for one last informational post: the all-important subject of ministry to and with youth, which was a topic raised at all walkabout stops except one:

Al Keeney believes that the bishop will need to take a serious look at what the needs of the different congregations are with respect to programs for children and teens. Ministries to youth must have the ability to draw in kids from the local community; not only should ministry to youth be relevant, they must ultimately function as evangelism tools and not be just programs to keep kids occupied.

Jeff Paul notes that there has been a lack of consistency in the dicoese's approach to youth ministry, and he sees developing consistency as a key to success. Ultimately, Jeff believes that adult leaders must be able to sacrifice time, resources, and "room" in leadership so that youth can be full participants in their own ministries.

Susan Burns advocates for placing children and youth at the very center of our worshipping communities, and that the best youth and children's ministry is done intergenerationally - we do "with" young people, not "to" them.

Dan Edwards believes that youth ministry must be something that is one of the highest priorities of the bishop, but he also believes that no single program is a magic fix that is guaranteed to reach all the youth of the diocese. He noted that "programs don't change people. People change people."

Eric Funston sees young people as inhabiting a central place in the life of the church, and that we need to see them as full and equal members as they are, not as they will be when they reach adulthood. Coordination of diocesan programs for youth is important, and as bishop he would examine the best ways for this to happen.

Cathy Deats believes that ministry to children and youth needs to be done in the context of the individual church community, but that the job of diocesan leadership is to assist the churches with exploring programs and assisting teachers and youth workers in their ministries.

So there you have it. My notes are exhausted, but our delegates now have access to more information than they would have had if they had gone to just one session. My hope is that I have been successful in highlighting both the major issues raised during the candidate visits and to also provide a window into their thinking on a whole range of issues. Please pray for those of us who will be gathering at the end of this week:

Almighty and everlasting Father, you have given the Holy Spirit to abide with us forever: Bless, we pray, the clergy and the laity soon to be assembled in your Name that your Church, being preserved in true faith and godly discipline, may fulfill all the mind of Him who loved it and gave Himself for it, your Son Jesus Christ our Savior; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

- For a Church Convention
Book of Common Prayer, 1979