Journey to Adulthood Program

In each portion of this program, an intentional focus is placed on the four aspects that together make up the human condition: self, spirituality, society, and sexuality. These four dimensions receive scriptural validation from the Gospel. "And Jesus grew in wisdom and in years, and in divine and human favor" (Luke 2:52, NRSV). In fact, the program works by bringing these four facets of being human into harmony, to produce whole and secure human beings who are spiritually, physically, mentally, and socially grounded. It is necessary, of course, that we create an environment where feelings are honored and in which the young people learn to trust their own authentic voice as it quietly whispers to them of what is true and important to them.

Rite-13: The Gift of Manhood and Womanhood

Given that our gender is God's gift to each of us (Gen. 1:26), how should we acknowledge this? As with all gifts, we celebrate it. The program begins with, and devotes the first two years to this celebration of the gift of manhood and womanhood as well as the gift of creative energy.

Perhaps nowhere is the celebration more clearly shown than in the R13 liturgy -The Celebration of Manhood and Womanhood. Loosely modeled on the Jewish Bar/Bat Mitzvah ceremony, the young people lead the congregation in reading a portion of Psalm 139. The service opens with a charge to the young people:

"Human beings, because they are made in God's image, are the only creatures on earth who can choose how to use their creative power—not only to create new life, but also to shape the world according to God's purpose. God calls us to use this gift to build and not to destroy. Are you aware of God's gift to you and the challenge to use it wisely?"

In addition, there is a prayer for the parents, a charge to the young people's peers, another to the congregation, and a blessing pronounced over the young people.

The goals of Rite-13 are to establish and maintain cross-gender friendships, to establish the church as a safety-zone in the midst of a challenging time of life and to build a group that shares experiences and memories. Young people then begin the process of moving intentionally from childhood to adulthood within the context of the faith. We do all this in a lighthearted way.

Journey to Adulthood (J2A)

Jesus reminds us that one cannot build a solid house without a solid foundation (Luke 6:46-49). If the task of the Journey to Adulthood program is to build the house, the foundation laid in Rite-13 must be solid. While Rite-13 works on the first of the guiding principles—one's gender is a gift from God, J2A works on the second—adulthood must be earned.

The Journey to Adulthood seeks to inculcate in young people six adult skills: active listening, negotiation, assertion, research and information management, partnership, and leadership. Each of these skills is clearly defined in the curriculum with techniques for teaching, training, and opportunities to practice. Youth leaders and clergy begin the two-year process of training the young people in the skills of adulthood. In the second year, each youth chooses an adult mentor/sponsor to journey with them as they choose whether they wish to affirm their baptismal vows in the sacramental rite of confirmation. Whatever their decisions, having demonstrated and practiced their newly earned skills, they are, at the end, considered as young adults, ready to take on certain adult responsibilities. They are invited to make a holy pilgrimage. Pilgrimage, an important part of our religious heritage, allows our young people the time to search for God and for their own destiny. The experience can be transformational.

Young Adults in the Church (YAC)

Finally, the last years of the program encourage the young adults to take on ever-increasing responsibility and partnership in the life of the congregation and in the community at large. Stewardship—the giving of one's time, talent, and treasure—is a sure sign of adult responsibility and the members of the YAC group are encouraged to be good stewards and to participate in all aspects of congregational life. Guided by adult mentors, the YAC members are responsible for maintaining their group and establishing goals, engaging in social out-reach projects, and in addition, continuing their faith journey through prayer and Bible study. Our hope is that, with guidance, they will use the Anglican model of the three-way balance between the Scriptures, reason, and tradition to begin a life-long pilgrimage in their faith.