Celebrating our youth

Ceremonies, rituals, rites of passage – undergoing these types of occasions are a fundamental part of what makes us human.  Marriages, graduations, inaugurations, baptisms, dedications – all of these events help us mark significant transitions in our lives and move into a new social identity.  They help tell us who we were and who we are becoming.  Anthropologists have observed in cultures all over the world the importance of these events both for the individual and for the community.  In this spirit, we at CMF are celebrating our first coming of age ceremony for youth age 12 and over.  The celebration marks a transition from childhood to adolescence in the lives of these youth.  In the context of the faith community, we recognize that this also marks a time when the youth is developing their own faith perspective.  They are exploring their gifts.  They are maturing in how they view themselves in the church and world.  This service will be a way of affirming all these developments and blessing the youth at this point in their lives.  In the years ahead we’ll invite them to greater participation in congregational leadership, to consider baptism as a sign of their faith commitment, and to continue pursuing their interests and gifts in the light of God’s calling on their life.

Part of the service will involve a blessing of the youth.  During this time I hope to read several comments, or blessings, to each youth that were written by you, the people of CMF.  The comments can name certain gifts that you see budding in the life of the youth; or mention something specific that you appreciate about the youth; or tell of a memory that highlights a certain characteristic of the youth that you admire.  Comments can be brief – one or several sentences.  All notes will be compiled and given to the youth for them to have as a gift from the congregation, a tangible way for this ceremony to continue to have meaning for them.  In order to have enough of your comments to use by Sunday, I’m asking that whoever desires to contribute should email the office in the next couple days with these notes (Having them by Thursday morning would be outstanding).  If used during the service, the author of the comment will be anonymous.  Thanks for helping make this a special service.

The service will also include a special offering which will go toward the fund for supporting our youth in going to the Mennonite Church USA convention in Columbus in the summer of ’09.  Conventions are a great way for youth (and adults) to explore their faith deeper and connect with thousands of other Mennonites from around the country.