We are again fortunate to welcome the Rev. Shannon Kelly as our guest blogger. Her topic for today is how we can help young people connect with new faith communities as they transition out of high school and into college or new jobs.

Making Connections

When any of us leave one community and move to the next, either because of school or jobs or life, there is a huge period of transition, of finding your way around, of making new connections, and wondering what life in this new place will be like or with whom you might make friends.

For young people, this is an especially daunting task because this is usually the first time they have done this alone, without family or friends.

In our service of Holy Baptism, those present make a significant promise, that can be all too easily forgotten once children grow up and begin moving away.  In the service, we ask, “Will you who witness these vows do all in your power to support these persons in their life in Christ?” and the congregation responds, “We will.” This powerful moment in the service is evidence that our lives as Christians are not just individual journeys, but journeys of community and commitment to one another.

As young people graduate, get jobs, go off to school, or are in various states of transition, we need to remember this promise.

A few weeks ago, the Rev. Canon John W. Newton reminded us in his guest blog post how a simple phone call can change the life of a young person. Helping each other make connections and transition into new communities can make a huge difference and is one way we can continue to “uphold these persons in their life in Christ” even if they are no longer worshipping with us regularly.

The Office of Young Adult and Campus Ministries invites you to help young people connect with new faith communities.  You may not personally know if there is a campus ministry or a young adult community near to where the young person is moving, but we can help with our online map and database of young adult and campus ministries.

Do you know a young person moving away?  Help them find a community by making a phone call, sending them a link to the nearby church, or both!

Are you part of a campus or young adult ministry not on our map?

Make sure you have filled in the information survey so that we have the most up-to-date information about you. Your ministry will be mapped! Once your ministry has been added, you can submit changes using the same form.