Building for the future
Thomas Baldwin reflects on the impact of the Year of Young People within the Church of Scotland.
COVER
WHEN the Scottish Government announced, five years ago, that it was designating 2018 the Year of Young People, it took a little while for the Church of Scotland to realise that here was a golden opportunity for it to to promote, celebrate and develop its work with children and young people.
It wasn’t until the General Assembly of 2016 that an instruction came out to presbyteries and churches to use the year as an opportunity to engage with children and young people.
The Mission and Discipleship Council produced a ‘toolkit’ for churches to develop a vision and new areas of work with young people (even those who don’t have any young members were encouraged to get involved), and congregations were encouraged to sign a charter promising to get to know, listen to, involve, share faith and pray with young people.
A series of four Year of Young People roadshows also took place in various parts of the country in spring, and there was a fringe event at the General Assembly. Other organisations such as Eco- Congregation Scotland themed their events around the year.
But as we near the end of the Year of Young People, what has been achieved? Will it make any long-term difference? And what comes next?
Isobel Booth-Clibborn, Children’s Development Worker within the Church’s Mission and Discipleship Council, who co-ordinated the church’s Year of Young People response at a national level, professes herself pleased with the level of grass-roots engagement in the Year.
This includes around 500 churches signing up to the pledge and receiving toolkits. There were also about 150 people at the spring roadshows, which she says were ‘very successful in encouraging people to develop and grow ministry in their churches, schools and communities and to try something new’.
Mural by Overtown Parish Church
YOYP Church of Scotland resources
Young person at Dunfermline East YOYP event
Isobel says: “We are delighted that so many churches have been involved in engaging with children and young people, encouraging their participation and celebrating their gifts and contributions. Some churches have developed existing initiatives and others have started something new. Even churches with no young people present on a Sunday have been praying for young people and connecting with young people in different ways.
“We hope that this renewed focus and commitment to ministry with our young people will continue beyond 2018 and we can work together towards the aims we had for the Year of Young People in the Church of Scotland.
“Through active involvement in the Year of Young People 2018, we hope to see the Church of Scotland change develop and grow so that in the future young people have more opportunities to be welcomed, included and accepted as equal members of local churches; Churches are more intentional about engaging with children and young people; there are more opportunities for intergenerational work and conversations, young people have a greater say in decisions about the church and their lives; and young people are recognised and valued within the Body of Christ.”
At the time of going to press, the reach of the campaign is still being assessed; and there is no way of collating everything that has been done at the local level over the year. However, there have been many positive stories that have come from parish churches of their Year of Young People events.
Among them, Elizabeth Lambert of Helensburgh Parish Church writes: “The Year of Young People gave us the timeframe and materials to re-examine the involvement of young people in the life of our church. We aimed to do something to mark every month of the year, and began by inviting our young people to become even more involved in Sunday worship. They organised a service on Homelessness Sunday in January and used the Year of Young People material for two other services. We now have young people regularly running our audio visuals, joining the praise band and playing an active part in worship.
“One of our highlights was making a film, based on one made by the Church of Scotland, about what our young people would like the church to be. This gave them a voice to share their personal values and thoughts with the congregation.
“Another success was the formation of a youth forum with members of our Young Church and uniformed organisations sharing a meal and conversation about what they would like to see happening in our church. From this we held some informal gatherings for them over the summer.
Through active involvement in the Year of Young People 2018, we hope to see the Church of Scotland change develop and grow so that in the future young people have more opportunities to be welcomed, included and accepted as equal members of local churches
“The forum also played a major part in formulating our youth strategy which will see a £100,000 commitment to young people’s ministry over the next three years, starting with the appointment of our new Director of Youth and Families Ministry who takes up her post on September 16.
“We’ve seen huge progress during YofYP and aim to continue and develop our work with young people in our church and across our community. I would urge every congregation to get involved in Year of Young People.”
Also among the stories that have come in are some from young people themselves. 11-year-old Rory Simonis, of Dalmuir Barclay Church in Clydebank, writes: “Year Of Young People was launched by our minister Ruth Morrison dressing up as Mr Potato Head! Sunday school children in the congregations have served and taken communion and sometimes take in the bible and help with readings and collections. Our joint linkage Mini Youth Group focus on the themes and had fun brainstorming ‘I am, I have, I can’ for mental health awareness and teambuilding with ‘Minute To Win It’ challenges.
“We listened to the ‘I am Amazing’ video and to stories of children who made a difference. We’ve had a talent show and played instruments, told jokes and danced and are hoping our adult craft groups will join us to knit a Calamari soon! [This is a reference to CrossReach’s Calamari Shannari campaign, based on the Scottish Government’s Getting it Right For Every Child initiative].
“Our minister is now planning on asking us to read our own prayers for others at the Sunday service and is thinking of how she can use our talents. Mini Youth Group has helped us become more involved and aware of what’s going on in the local community. On one occasion we visited the Old Folks’ home to plant bulbs to brighten up the garden to make it look nice, made and took in Easter cards and held a games afternoon with the local elderly which we and them really enjoyed. It made me feel good about myself and realise I can have a positive impact on others. Mini Youth group teaches us to share our opinions and thoughts. We play a lot of team games which is not only great fun but helps us make friends.”
Meanwhile, several churches have written to Life and Work over the year, beginning in January when Wardie Parish Church in Edinburgh presented a drama from the Wardie Players Youth Ensemble. Among the churches holding a launch service for the Year was St Mary’s in Motherwell, where young members led the call to worship and the Year of Young People Prayer, and the hymns were chosen by the junior church. And in April, six churches in East Ayrshire ran a joint celebration Sunday for primary aged children, based on the Road to Emmaus.
Besides special services and youth events, further engagement in the year that has been reported to Mission and Discipleship has included:
• A number of Kirk Sessions have had focussed discussions on children and youth ministry, resulting in them renewing their vision and exploring new ways of engaging with children and young people.
• A number of churches have carried out the Have Your Say exercise, in which children and young people are encouraged to talk about what they enjoy and what they are concerned about, both within their church and wider community. This exercise is designed to encourage the young people to feel more valued and listened to, and feel a greater sense of ownership of their church. Some churches have produced a video and shared this with the congregation or taken what the children said to the Kirk Session.
• Some presbyteries have held training or special events for leaders and young people
There are more examples of what churches have been doing during the year in this month’s Big Question on pages 12-13; and on the Church’s Year of Young People website at www.churchofscotland.org.uk/yoyp
The Rev Norman Smith, Convener of the Mission and Discipleship Council, wrote in a letter to presbyteries sent in August: “We have been very encouraged to hear many stories of what churches and presbyteries are doing with children and young people and new initiatives that have been started during the year…
“We are very keen that the profile and momentum that we have developed continues into 2019 and beyond. We in the Mission and Discipleship Council seek to continue to connect, resource and equip presbyteries and congregations in relation to ministry with children and youth…
“The Year of Young People is an amazing opportunity to develop and promote the ministry of our churches with children and young people, as part of this initiative from the Scottish Government. We are asking that your Presbytery encourage the ongoing participation of local churches in Year of Young People services, conferences and activities during 2018 and into 2019.”
In the immediate future, two Year of Young People conferences have been arranged for early October.
The first, Faith Formation in a Secular Age, takes place in Glasgow on Thursday October 4. Designed for church leaders (ministers, mission development staff, paid workers, elders, etc) it will explore the theological thinking behind faith formation and discipleship for all.
Chaired by the Moderator, the Rt Rev Susan Brown, there will be reflections led by Andy Root, one of the world’s leading scholars in youth ministry and practical theology, on the theology relating to ministry with children and young people, learning from the work in this area across the reformed tradition.
Following that, on Saturday October 6, Andy Root will be leading a seminar helping to explore how to develop and deepen relationships with children and young people. ‘Relational Ministry Reimagined’ will be live-streamed to locations across the country, and it is hoped that a number of presbytery will be hosting a screening for anyone concerned with children, youth and family ministry.
Beyond that, Isobel Booth-Clibborn says she hopes that the year will:
• Provide a platform for young people to have their views heard and acted upon
• Encourage church communities to involve and include young people
• Showcase the amazing talents of young people through events and media
• Develop better understanding, cooperation and respect between generations
• Recognise and celebrate the impact the church community has on young people’s lives
• Recognise, celebrate and develop the role of those in ministry with young people in the church (paid and voluntary)
• Provide opportunities for young people to participate fully in the life of the church.
Tamsin Dingwall, Moderator of the Church’s National Youth Assembly, says: “It has been great to hear about the many ways congregations and young people from the Church of Scotland have been involved in the Year of Young People. I’m excited to see what we can take forward into 2019 and continue building on the success of the Year of Young People in increasing involvement opportunities and engagement with children and young people.
“I’m really looking forward to attending a Church of Scotland event at parliament in the autumn celebrating the many ways that young people are involved in churches and communities across the country.”
Further steps
Next year’s National Youth Assembly is already in the diary for August 16-19.
The Church of Scotland website includes children and youth resources and events at www.churchofscotland.org.uk/childrenandyouth and a specific Year of Young People site at www.churchofscotland.org.uk/yoyp
The Mission and Discipleship Council also recently published Learn: Children and Youth, which covers many areas relating to children and youth ministry; and you can subscribe to the bimonthly children and youth newsletter.
The Facebook group Now You’re Talking connects anyone working with children, young people and young adults in the Church of Scotland.