Last weekend I had the opportunity to lead 13 young people, assisted by two other adult leaders, on a confirmation retreat on a beautiful lake campsite in New Hampshire. The intent was to ensure that they were "duly prepared" to reaffirm their baptismal vows as adults in front of the bishop on May 17 and be confirmed.
We talked a lot about God, sacred space, finding holy space, and the impact of ritual. The youth became more familiar with the Book of Common Prayer, the great treasure of the Episcopal Church. It was two days of quiet in the pretty hectic lives for these young people.
There is much ink spilled on predicting the demise of the church based on young people falling away and not committing to an experience as their parents and grandparents once did. That may be true, yet that was not our concern last weekend. What I hope we conveyed was that the church is a place -- when we are at out best -- where their questions and doubts and hopes and dreams are welcomed. If they wander and lose their way -- and most do -- that God can be found in community. If they ever get lost, may they be led back. Home.
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| Barbara Harris Camp in Greenfield, NH |
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