A dream of an Anglican Church filled with young people

At our General Synod this year the youth report was based around three questions:
What is our dream
what are we doign to help us get there
what is preventing us that we need to find ways to overcome.

So, here is our dream etc....

A Dream of the Anglican Church in 2014
· We are renowned in the wider community for our work among young people
· We are heading towards a flat line across the demographics in the 2016 census
· Anglican church in its words and actions places ministry to the under 40’s as it’s number one priority including:
o Funding
o People resources
o How it uses its buildings
o Education
o Ministry
· youth ministry and young people are not separated from the life of the whole church – it is not a Nippon clip on, but are seen as integral and vital to the health of the wider church – the reverse is also true
· That youth ministry is about ground root relationships and that all people are developing relationships with young people.
· Parishes take ownership of ministry among young people cf leaving it up to the youth worker or youth leader, or the too hard basket
· Young People are listened to on what the issues are for them, and that the Anglican church is known for its work with young people on addressing those issues in life giving and life changing ways:
· We have recognised the importance of young adults and constantly give them opportunities of meaningful formational, ministry and leadership – New Wine that Sarah talked about this morning
· Helping and encouraging young people to identify what they are passionate about and gifted in and finding ways of letting them live that out
· Built on a strong ministry among children and their families
· Church takes seriously ministry of church schools among young people who are their pupils, and schools take seriously that ongoing faith development and ministry relies on significant sense of belonging to and living and ministering in wider church, in this case the Anglican church
· Employment of trained Anglican youth workers with well resourced long term positions.
· We are confident that the three tikanga Anglican tradition has much to offer young people?
· Young people are resourced and allowed to reinterpret our tradition to this new millennium.
· Offer genuine community. ”People are open to spirituality but its in a void. Can we help them find new ways to live and be."
· Offering vision more compassionate and just vision of our wider society

What are we doing now that will help us get there:
AYNF:tp
Diocesan Youth Facilitators
Diocesan Youth Ministry Networks
PADYS
National Anglican Youth Forum (tp)
Forum Exec
StraNdZ
Work of Anglican Ministry Educators (AMEN) training clergy

· work at our tikanga rua and tikanga toru relationship TYE, T3 Youth Exec, Toru
· Anglican spirituality and theology
· OSS and workgroups on ministry under 35 in Christchurch and Waikato
· Youth Yeah! Providing a good platform on which to build
· TPMC identified Youth Ministry as the first priority for ministry training.
· Decisions of IDC to build on Youth Yeah
· Work of the Youth Covenant Commission
· Those of us in youth ministry often bring a unique way of looking at church and at ministry which needs to be heard if we as a church are to continue to minister effectively in our changing world.

What is preventing us getting there? (In outlining these things we want to invite us all to find ways to overcome them)
· Youth ministry is too often not one of the real priorities of the church in terms of people, finances, education, ministry and time. - too often given token time, resourcing and energy
· Parishioners and parishes feel they have nothing to offer young people
· Parishioners and parishes not wanting too are afraid engage with young people
· Significant numbers of clergy have had little or no training in ministry to those under 40 at St Johns and diocesan level and who therefore see it as a low priority and who feel unable to engage in it in any meaningful way
· Young people and clergy called to youth ministry and or to ordination too often are taken out of youth ministry and put into ministry among the aged as parish clergy
· Not providing just and supportive employment conditions for those employed as youth workers.
· Adults not passing the baton. They hold on to their own roles. Youth need to be mentored by these adults in taking on those roles" –new wine not mature
· Stuck with our present models of church and ministry

Comments

Russ Rentler, M.D. said…
This issue of the anglican communion splitting is yet another excellent proof in real life of why the church needs to be One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic. Without any final authority over issues of faith and morals and how to interpret the Bible, history will repeat itself again and again as the churches have been doing since 1517. It's Deja Vu all Over again.
8:42 am
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