By Abby Buckles, C4SO NextGen Leadership Team
I want to share the humble beginning of our church’s NextGen ministry with you, so you may be encouraged about what’s possible in your own congregation this New Year.
On Sunday, September 15, 2019, Church of the Vine commemorated our one-year anniversary. Just one year ago, Bishop Todd Hunter and Canon Kimberley Pfeiler entered our cozy, one-room church and welcomed us into C4SO. After that flurry of activity—ordinations, confirmations, and celebrations—I remember thinking, “Ah, now time to settle in.”
To our bemusement, and God’s amusement, the year that followed brought perpetual change to our congregation. We moved buildings, grew steadily, and experienced a rising need for more ministries and staff support. Our body, though small, felt rich with the joy and vitality of the Holy Spirit. While bearing witness to all these good things, we recognized a responsibility to thoughtfully engage all members of our congregation in the life of the Church. That recognition sparked an intentional beginning to our NextGen ministry.
In early October, I began working alongside our Rector to consider the needs of families and young people in our church. Our children’s ministry is robust, welcoming children up to age 11. We also have a thriving small group ministry, which many of our college students and adults attend. But there was no real place for those in between—the mature 10-year-old ready for deeper engagement or the 15-year-old intimidated by the “adultness” of small groups.
Recognizing the potential for young people between the ages of 10 and 18 to feel neglected in our body, we decided to begin simply: We announced a lunch for families with youth in this age range to begin a conversation focused intentionally on NextGen ministry. Four families attended—with five young people that our church had not yet intentionally engaged. That may seem like a small number, but this group represented 100% of our regularly attending families. During that lunch, we were able to begin building connections and examine the many different values, hopes, and needs represented in our group.
We’ve spent the rest of 2019 connecting through small gatherings with parents, young people and family members. We built relationships and identified those who shared a vision and mission for NextGen ministry going into 2020. My goal was to make sure each student at our church felt recognized and known, not just as a member of their families but for themselves personally. I wanted to ensure that they felt cared for so I could exhort them toward leadership and engagement in a deeply authentic, intentional way. I also tried to help families remain engaged in the spiritual and personal formation of their developing students.
As for what NextGen ministry will look like next year, I freely admit that I don’t know. It feels so much more important to know what I hope for our young people: that they feel supported by and responsible to the Church, called to a life of faith that embodies their beliefs. This is the compass by which I hope our ministry navigates.
This can be your compass as well. If you’re hesitating to start a NextGen ministry in the New Year because you don’t have the “right” youth leader, or “enough” youth, or a “good” curriculum, don’t. I have seen and experienced that NextGen ministry is about recognizing the value of investing in students who are ready to be recognized, developed, and sent out as disciples of Christ.
Do you have questions or ideas about raising up the Next Generation of leaders in your community? Contact the Rev. Aaron Buttery, C4SO NextGen Leadership Associate.
Abby Buckles is a member of the Vestry at Church of the Vine, a congregation of about 100, rooted in Newberg, Oregon. Their church community spans all phases of life, from young families to college students and adults of all ages. Church of the Vine is starting their second year of NextGen ministry. Abby is excited to collaborate with the C4SO NextGen Leadership Team to build a cohesive ethos for youth ministry that centers on leadership and empowerment.