Episcopal Youth Leaders in the Diocese of Virginia invited me to join them at Phoebe Needles Center in Callaway, Virginia. The Diocese has only three paid youth ministers in Parishes. Thus the leadership relies heavily on the volunteering adults and a very vibrant faithful core of youth.
One of their issues --- maybe too many youth who want to be leaders.
I woke up this morning reflecting on Jesus’ disciples telling Jesus, “There are too many! Should we send them home?” Jesus’ coment? “Feed them.” And so they did. (Loaves and Fishes)
Youth are either leading or they are leaving. We either equip, empower and allow or the demands of others will prioritize kids time away. The church’s job is less about consumer programming, which assumes kids are attracted by more glitz, more gadgetry, with bigger, and better entertainment. Instead the church is about making of meaning, developing purpose, and giving responsibility in ways that kids know they count!
1 comment:
You are SO RIGHT ON, my friend. We've seen it a million times if we've seen it once. We all crave significance. We all want to make a difference with our short lives. Kids are no exception. My experience is that young folks can do it better and with greater furver because they don't know what can't be done. And they love being radical. The buz one gets from unbridaled enthusiasm, from living on the edge and leading from the heart is a one-of-a-kind high.
You and Andrea keep the faith. Keep doing the good work you do, one kid and one day at a time. I have to believe (ie. we are to be 'the people of hope') that breakthrough lies just ahead.
And since we're being hopeFULL, I am also convinced that it will come through guys like you, cultivating a student led movement of the Holy Spirit. No glitz. No glam. No eye-popping media-mainia. THIS Reformation will be wholely unlike that of the last 500 years and unrelated to the tabloid church of the last few decades.
Your fellow traveler,
Callmechuck
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