Your Young Shall See Visions

For the length of my life within this denomination (since my confirmation in 1960) leaders have proclaimed that we need to encourage our youth to see the vision of God and take on the meaning of Christ within the ministry and mission of the United Church of Christ.

There have been many attempts to do this. In the New York Conference the longest standing and most successful ministry with youth has been the annual State Youth Event. Local churches have had good and successful efforts in embracing the ministry of and to youth to varying degrees of success.

Across the UCC there is a general recognition that nurturing youth into the Christian Faith, as we have felt called to express it, is a necessity. The youth that caught the vision of the united and uniting church leading up to 1957, and those youth that have grown to maturity in the aftermath of the formation of the UCC and have become leaders over the last five decades are all feeling the passing of the years. We must lift up a new generation to carry on the ministry that God has set before us. “But,” we might be asking, “how?”

In the first of the new three-part UCC video series “Celebration”, the Rev. James E. Fouther, Jr., spoke of the way in which his home church in Chicago nurtured him in the faith. Just before he began his confirmation education, James’ father died. In the video he spoke quite powerfully of how during the confirmation ceremony, when the families were called to stand up in support of the confirmands, the entire choir stood up with his birth family for him. Now, when he teaches the confirmation class himself, he recognizes the variety and depth of the life experiences of the 12 and 13 year olds that he teachers. In other words he respects them as human beings.

Check out the new UCC videos. click http://i.ucc.org/StretchYourMind/tabid/53/Default.aspx

Ron and Patti Farr, co-pastors at Emmanuel UCC, Watertown, wrote in the April edition of the church newsletter about the upcoming church retreat. The theme of the retreat is “Learning to Forgive.” In describing the retreat theme they suggested that the retreatants would explore these questions: how do we forgive others, especially those who seem undeserving? How do we overcome the wounds and barriers within us that block us from being forgiving? How do we become people of grace? How do we teach our children the practice of forgiveness? What a powerful question to explore! My own answer to the last question especially is that those who teach best practice what they teach.

Wayne Gustafson, Interim Pastor at the Groton Community UCC, Groton, in his article for the April newsletter gave an analysis of how the church was fairing in this time of transition. He wrote, “So now I’m thinking about next steps. I wonder if it’s time to re-establish our youth program. Now that more people are coming to ‘check out’ this church, I hear some of them asking what kind of youth program we have. It seems to me that it is no longer acceptable to reply that we do not have one. I hope you agree with me.”

He went on to invite the congregation to give thought to how a ministry to and with youth might grow. It takes thought and energetic leadership, he said. He spoke of gathering interested people together (especially youth!) to begin dreaming about the possibilities. It could be a cooperative ministry with other churches. They could even look to find the funding to hire someone to serve the youth ministry. In positing these ideas he concluded by saying, “But I’m getting ahead of myself (See how easy it is to begin dreaming!)

It has been said that every great achievement begins with a dream. Indeed! As the prophet Joel spoke for God, “…I will pour out my spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old ones shall dream dreams, and your young ones shall see visions…” (Joel 2:28, adapted.)

May it be so in your church: that the outpouring of God’s Spirit will inspire the young and old to grow together in the grace, love and joy of Christ, and do great things in promoting God’s reign of peace.

Blessings,

Rick