Yesterday I was at Claremont Church in East Kilbride. I spent the first 40 minutes with "Crossword" a group of young people aged from 12 to 18 years.
At the end of our time together we silently (there had been lots of noise from party hooters and bursting balloons prior to this as we read Matthew 3 together) lit these little candles from the central candle, considering as we did, what it meant for us to have "the light of the world" in our lives and what difference He might make.
We then joined the rest of the congregation for communion. It was moving to watch older hands sharing the bread and wine with young hands, and then these young hands passing it to each other and on to older hands once more (it's interesting how hands often show our age even if our faces don't!).
I was reminded of Mark Yacconeli's comment in his book "Contemplative Youth Ministry" - "It takes a greenhouse to nurture the souls of young people - a greenhouse formed by adults who want to know God. A young person's faith is best tended by a variety of relationships within a Christian community."
It's not about us getting it all right, or running the best, exciting, programme. What matters is the community we create with Jesus at the centre - where young people can belong, grow, contribute and receive.
Jen
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