Let’s Make it Happen!
I had coffee hour with the people of Good Shepherd in Savona; we all fit around the table and talked about the state of the Church and our hope for its future. Two young girls sat with the adults and participated in the conversation as equally valuable members of the congregation. Brought by their great-grandmother, they easily conversed with people their parents’ and grandparents’ ages and were able to share their experiences and enlighten us with their wisdom. Will these girls stick with church when they are teens, or seek out the church as young adults? The odds are good.
I have failed to find a link to a recent study of mainline denominations, but I remember one of the data points clearly. Researchers found that the most common shared characteristic of young adults who went to church was this: In their home church there was an adult, outside of a family member, who cared about and was active in their life. These children grew into church members, regardless of whether they had gone to Sunday school, youth group, camp, or retreats. Of course, programs for children and youth are often the point of contact with faithful church members, but even small churches, as Good Shepherd demonstrates, can be an important influence on a child’s life.
This finding regarding the presence of young people in church should hearten us. As a diocese with many small churches, which I call “Cheers Churches: Where Everybody Knows your Name,” connections between young people and adults who are not related to them but care for and nurture them, are second nature to these communities. As I have made my visitations and met with your vestries (thirty as of this printing) I hear one concern most frequently, “We don’t have any/enough young people in church!” We talk about strategies to engage families in our communities; I want to do more as your bishop to help draw children and youth to your churches.
I am excited to announce that your diocesan staff is launching the 2025 Annual Bishop’s Appeal to help the Rev. Annie Jones, Director of Formation, create a summer camp for the children and youth of our diocese and their friends! Why? “Camp allows all of us to hear the stories and prayers of our Christian faith in a new and different context allowing for new understanding,” says the Rev. Annie Jones. While this camp will have Episcopal worship and formation, there will also be lots of summer camp activities and all children, regardless of religion, will be welcome. We hope to have a short pilot program this summer and build up to a week-long sleepover camp for children and youth in the years to come.
Soon, you will receive an email appeal; please consider giving and sharing this appeal widely. Please also consider volunteering to be part of the planning team and offering your time and talents to this effort. As soon as we have firm plans, we will need your help in spreading the news and recruiting children to take part.
Let’s make this happen! Together let us provide a fun and spiritual experience for children that will introduce them to the Episcopal Church and to your parishes.
Remember, children are not the future of the church; they are the church!
God’s Blessings
For clergy, parish administrators, and wardens:
Each parish will be mailed a package of promotion cards to distribute. We are also providing a document with text that can be copied and pasted into bulletins, emails, and social media. That document, which also includes promotional graphics for email headers and social media, can be accessed here.
We hope that you can announce this appeal on Sundays during Lent and Easter and encourage participation by April 30.