In the late summer, the Diocesan Youth Commission issued a congregational survey about ministry to children, families, youth, and young adults. The main purpose of the survey was to learn who was doing these ministries in our congregations and identify people to invite to an expanded First Third of Life Commission, one of the initiatives in the Strategic Vision. Bishop Hughes announced the new group at Diocesan Convention, which included all members of the former Diocesan Youth Commission.
Sixty-four congregations completed the survey and offered these general responses:
- 37 have children’s formation
- 24 have youth formation – 2 of which are Confirmation preparation only
- 23 include family/intergenerational formation – 2 are related specifically to Confirmation, and some are offered only intermittently.
- 3 have a college ministry
- 2 distribute care packages to college students
- 2 are actively exploring college ministry
- 5 have active Young Adult ministries
- 1 hosts mission trips that include young adults
The number of people from these congregations involved in these ministries includes:
- Children’s formation – 40 people
- Youth – 27 (12 people are also involved in Children’s formation)
- Family/intergen. – 21 (12 are also involved in Children’s and/or Youth ministry)
- College – 3 (all of these ministers have additional formation responsibilities)
- YA – 5 (3 of these ministers have additional formation responsibilities)
Nineteen of the congregations that responded have had more than 20 years of formation programming, eight have had programs for over 5 years, and another eight have started new formation ministries within the last 5 years. The rest of the congregations (29) do not currently offer formation programs specific to these age groups.
In addition to learning who is involved in these ministries in our local congregations, we also gleaned some other information that will be helpful to the new commission in implementing the other initiatives that are part of the First Third of Life priorities. For example, congregations indicated the areas where they need support, including curriculum recommendations and free curriculum, enriching activities for parents and children to do together, and partnerships for youth group/youth trips
They also indicated which ministries they would like to launch but needed support in doing so:
- Children’s formation – 6 congregations
- Youth group/formation – 12 congregations
- Family/intergenerational formation – 14 congregations
- College ministry – 8 congregations
- Young adult ministry – 16 congregations
The new Commission will use this information from the survey to guide them as they launch the other initiatives from the Strategic Vision, and they will provide updates on their work in future issues. If you are interested in working with the Commission directly, please contact the Commission’s co-Chairs, the Rev. Asa Coulson and Janelle Grant.
First Third of Life Commission members
*Indicates member of the former Diocesan Youth Commission
- *Anthony Briggs – Cross Roads
- *The Rev. Carrie Cabush – St. John’s, Montclair
- *Donna Caputo – Grace, Rutherford
- *The Rev. Asa Coulson, Co-Chair – Grace, Nutley
- Meg Davis – St. George’s, Maplewood
- *Kathy DeWalt – St. Luke’s, Montclair
- Melina Dezhbod – St. Elizabeth’s, Ridgewood
- *Janelle Grant, Co-Chair – St. Paul’s, Patterson
- Jane Murphy Morris – Church of the Savior, Denville
- *Helen Payanzo – Cross Roads
- Egan Pemberton – Grace, Newark
- Annmarie Tarleton – All Saints. Glen Rock
- *Chris Whitaker – Christ Church, Short Hills
