Comment: Done Nothin
TOMB said:
"Wow. It is great to see 6 teens there. Last time I attended there, besides my wife and kids, I was the youngest one. (I am 30.) What have you done to reach out to the teens? What are you doing to reach out to those younger and in their early adult life?
I ask these questions because my church is also asking these questions.
My other question to you is (since I am on a roll) what books and sites have you read lately that you can recommend?"
I'm flattered but quite honestly "I" have done nothing. This is one of those times when you just thank God for the response to our prayers for youth. When I arrived 2 years ago the overwhelming mandate presented to me by Vestry was the lack of youth and to get them in. Many would have begun to work tirelessly hard at youth programs and tons of effort playing the pied piper... I did nothing. Literally. I prayed, of course, but other than that I observed and waited. My tendancy was to put lots of effort into it but experience has taught me to wait and watch. Often, especially in a new place, it is best to get to know the dynamics before doing a thing. As I have said before I did express my desire to use the alternative service book and clean up some of the administrative issues but apart from those I just watched. Now in my 2nd year I have a better eye as to the needs and what works and doesn't here in our communities.
The youth revolve around Camp Brookwood and their church is St. Andrew's (the Camp Chapel). The key to bringing in youth is to get them to share themselves at the inter-generational church, eg, St. James, Church of the Good Shepherd etc.... Last year I hung out more at Brookwood, had a sleepover in Florenceville and every other month had a Brookwood reunion, but it was very loosy-goosy. The work of Brookwood this year has resulted in many youth feeling called to bring the summer experience to church that occurs in fall, winter and spring! It's been a grace and we are blest by their presence.
Have their been adjustments? Well I think their have been but I don't think the congregation is really aware of the impact of having youth in their church. They are loud, too loud at times and that has been getting better, but their is a freedom in their expressions in church and they are happy to be their, that is a blessing.
Having a Camp next door is great, and so build a camp? Seriously trust God and be prepared for change. I am still unsure if the parish understands what needs to occur to keep youth in the parish, I don't think I know either, but I have a slight idea. I'll share that if it works. Either way their will be growing pains and I imagine that 2008 and will be a year of transition, not too dramatic but dramatic enough for some.
It's funny but young children are keen to be more involved but it's hard to get their parents to commit to weekly attendance due to other priorities and so the children learn by example that everything else is higher up on the list of priorities... most of which are seen as more fun and require commitment; I guess church requires no commitment.
What we are doing at the moment is ALPHA, not necessarily Youth ALPHA, but still the full course and they respond to the tape with their own impressions. Youth are not dumb, and though many are young in their faith, I am encouraged by their commitment (10 weeks and none have missed a week of church, even parish services... that is better than half of my regular adult congregation). We have some plans for a ski trip and a sleepover... they love sleepovers. It reminds the youth of Camp. It's much better than living off a computer screen as most youth do today.
"What books and sites..." OH MY. Well I always promote textweek.com for Sunday preparation. Not everything is great but usually their is a gem. Mostly I have been listening to podcasts. I really enjoy the "HTB Sunday Talks", Saint Benedict's Table, and Prayer from the Taizé Community. It's eclectic but so am I :-)
Books are a bit more difficult as I am always reading to prepare for other events and rarely read for pleasure. But a couple of gems I have found are the Oxford Univerity Press' "Very Short Introductions". They are very small booklets of roughly 150 pages and are around $14 Canadian. Mark Chapman has one on "Anglicanism" (2006) and another by David F. Ford on "Theology" (1999). If you're looking for something like the Ferrari of spiritual / theological books then I draw your attention to "The Book That Breathes New Life: Scriptural Authority and Biblical Theology" by Walter Brueggemann (Augsburg Fortress, 2005). This is a hefty book yet only 228 pages all due to the depth of theological insight and the cost... as I recall it was $50+.
I hope this long response has been sufficient. Blessings.
"Wow. It is great to see 6 teens there. Last time I attended there, besides my wife and kids, I was the youngest one. (I am 30.) What have you done to reach out to the teens? What are you doing to reach out to those younger and in their early adult life?
I ask these questions because my church is also asking these questions.
My other question to you is (since I am on a roll) what books and sites have you read lately that you can recommend?"
I'm flattered but quite honestly "I" have done nothing. This is one of those times when you just thank God for the response to our prayers for youth. When I arrived 2 years ago the overwhelming mandate presented to me by Vestry was the lack of youth and to get them in. Many would have begun to work tirelessly hard at youth programs and tons of effort playing the pied piper... I did nothing. Literally. I prayed, of course, but other than that I observed and waited. My tendancy was to put lots of effort into it but experience has taught me to wait and watch. Often, especially in a new place, it is best to get to know the dynamics before doing a thing. As I have said before I did express my desire to use the alternative service book and clean up some of the administrative issues but apart from those I just watched. Now in my 2nd year I have a better eye as to the needs and what works and doesn't here in our communities.
The youth revolve around Camp Brookwood and their church is St. Andrew's (the Camp Chapel). The key to bringing in youth is to get them to share themselves at the inter-generational church, eg, St. James, Church of the Good Shepherd etc.... Last year I hung out more at Brookwood, had a sleepover in Florenceville and every other month had a Brookwood reunion, but it was very loosy-goosy. The work of Brookwood this year has resulted in many youth feeling called to bring the summer experience to church that occurs in fall, winter and spring! It's been a grace and we are blest by their presence.
Have their been adjustments? Well I think their have been but I don't think the congregation is really aware of the impact of having youth in their church. They are loud, too loud at times and that has been getting better, but their is a freedom in their expressions in church and they are happy to be their, that is a blessing.
Having a Camp next door is great, and so build a camp? Seriously trust God and be prepared for change. I am still unsure if the parish understands what needs to occur to keep youth in the parish, I don't think I know either, but I have a slight idea. I'll share that if it works. Either way their will be growing pains and I imagine that 2008 and will be a year of transition, not too dramatic but dramatic enough for some.
It's funny but young children are keen to be more involved but it's hard to get their parents to commit to weekly attendance due to other priorities and so the children learn by example that everything else is higher up on the list of priorities... most of which are seen as more fun and require commitment; I guess church requires no commitment.
What we are doing at the moment is ALPHA, not necessarily Youth ALPHA, but still the full course and they respond to the tape with their own impressions. Youth are not dumb, and though many are young in their faith, I am encouraged by their commitment (10 weeks and none have missed a week of church, even parish services... that is better than half of my regular adult congregation). We have some plans for a ski trip and a sleepover... they love sleepovers. It reminds the youth of Camp. It's much better than living off a computer screen as most youth do today.
"What books and sites..." OH MY. Well I always promote textweek.com for Sunday preparation. Not everything is great but usually their is a gem. Mostly I have been listening to podcasts. I really enjoy the "HTB Sunday Talks", Saint Benedict's Table, and Prayer from the Taizé Community. It's eclectic but so am I :-)
Books are a bit more difficult as I am always reading to prepare for other events and rarely read for pleasure. But a couple of gems I have found are the Oxford Univerity Press' "Very Short Introductions". They are very small booklets of roughly 150 pages and are around $14 Canadian. Mark Chapman has one on "Anglicanism" (2006) and another by David F. Ford on "Theology" (1999). If you're looking for something like the Ferrari of spiritual / theological books then I draw your attention to "The Book That Breathes New Life: Scriptural Authority and Biblical Theology" by Walter Brueggemann (Augsburg Fortress, 2005). This is a hefty book yet only 228 pages all due to the depth of theological insight and the cost... as I recall it was $50+.
I hope this long response has been sufficient. Blessings.
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