This Sunday we celebrated Jesus' ascension in a service led by the youth. The Gospel reading was,
Then he said to them, ‘These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you—that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.’ Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and he said to them, ‘Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And see, I am sending upon you what my Father promised; so stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.’Over the years, the numbers of youth in the Episcopal church has declined along with the decline in overall numbers. Locally, this is seen in the fact that our congregation can boast of just two graduating seniors (HS) this year.
Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and, lifting up his hands, he blessed them. While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven. And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy; and they were continually in the temple blessing God.
Our homily today was given by the one graduating senior in attendance.
Who will be there to spread the Good News and proclaim "repentance and forgiveness of sins in his name" in years to come?
Posts
Kids are not stupid. When church is just an extension of the world, then eventually it's purpose disappears and it's easier to sleep in on Sunday.
ReplyDelete(BTW, we had 25 graduates this year.)
Cheers.
What neglected to mention is - there were almost 30 Youth participating in the service!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations Randall.
ReplyDeleteIt has been a pattern in the Episcopal church for youth participation to decline with advancing age. The causes for the pyramidal result are worthy of speculation, and I think Randall expressed one of the presumed causes well.
ReplyDelete