I have had a hard time with most of this because I don’t know to what extent I am a “regular” young adult. However, I can truly say what I feel the church can do. I feel that the biggest priority is simply to find some universal method to transition high school graduates into the new challenges and responsibilities that accompany being a young adult and eventually an adult in the church. One thing that pains me to think about yet I feel something that may require serious attention is the abolition of some youth activities within congregations. If youth and young adults are going to demand to be taken seriously, then they will have to start doing serious work. Maybe instead of going to a move, you organize a clean up of another local church, plan a Sunday liturgy, or plan on having leadership represent you on the vestry. When I was first approached about this project, I was nervous, anxious for a frank and open exchange with others my own age. I was interested in what those outside the church felt. I must admit to a mild disappointment, when I found a meeting of fast-talking young adults and pensive quiet church going 20-somethings in equal numbers with no ‘unchurched’ persons in sight.
While this has been a worthwhile experience I feel in no small way that many participants have been flippant and careless regarding this topic and conference as whole. Nonetheless, we all wish to see this Church thrive as we feel it should, through its unquenchable spirit and boundless love in the joy that God brings to us through it.
