By Christine O’Neil, Director of Youth Ministries
In my first trimester of my Youth Ministry Certificate Program our class spent a lot of time
discussing family systems theory, which in a nutshell takes a look at how congregations operate as a family unit. Church congregations differ from businesses and non-profit organizations in that we come together due to a common belief and strive for a common purpose that we feel called to and is therefore extremely personal. When we gather together we bring with us our unique personalities and emotional burdens (we’ve all got them!) and it is within the framework of loving God and one another that we voluntarily try to accomplish God’s work which is often near and dear to our hearts. We spend a good amount of time with those we do this work alongside and more often than not they become like kin. Enter family systems and the intricate emotional landscape we all navigate.
Within churches, it is easy to repeat nostalgic practices because of our emotional attachments. I’m sure you have heard the phrase – well that’s the way we’ve always done it! Our congregation now exists in a new paradigm, one in which culture constantly shifts and rapidly changes and where problems have morphed into conditions with no concrete solutions. In order for us to embrace our current cultural context, we will need to take a close look at what we consider are our core values, practices, and beliefs in order to discern how to apply them in new ways that meet the needs and schedules of adults, teens, and children who navigate this new normal.
OK, enough of the technical jargon – what on earth am I talking about? In the new year our
youth leadership will be trying new things and looking at new ways to engage students with their faith and our community both inside and outside our church walls. What does this mean for our adults? It means we need to be open to new ideas, willing to try, fail, learn, and try again. It’s time to throw our best proverbial spaghetti and see if it sticks to the wall! New ideas, big ideas, maybe even what we might think of as impossible ideas should all be brought to the table for discussion and discernment. It’s an opportunity to move students from being consumers to agents, to support them in becoming compassionate leaders, to show them they are not alone, open their eyes to see where God is working, and to encourage them in some of the toughest years of their lives.
It is my hope to start this process first through putting together a panel to discern our youth core values. Once this framework has been developed, we can measure initiatives against these values to determine if they are ones that meet goals for our youth’s faith formation. We also have a large proportion of our youth that resonate with the artistic process. Can we use these talents to make our church building a space that generates thoughtful conversation, garners contemplation of current conditions, grows youth leadership abilities, and engages our outside community? Can this avenue reach teens that feel marginalized and alone? Can art be a way to revitalize and diversify our church’s revenue stream? Will a step out in faith with the talents our children, youth, and adults possess bring new participants into our midst? Can new relationships be forged as we reach out in love to foster a sense of belonging, an important first step into faith? So many questions and the only way to find answers is to dive in – I hope you will consider diving alongside us!
In faith,
Christine O’Neil
Director of Youth Ministries