Sunday, June 24, 2007

One final reflection about our recent Diocesan Convention. Notwithstanding all the positive elements – seven ordinations, varied worship, and a sense of renewed purposefulness – the fact remains that there were a preponderance of heads that were grayed or bald (yours truly among the latter). It’s a pity.

There’s lots of anecdotal evidence that we’ve been getting better at involving our young people in the life of the church. If gathering in community is what we’re about, we need to find ways to incorporate these younger voices at the diocesan level as more than spectators. Their energy and commitment could do us some good. They’re still discovering things that we’ve either come to take for granted or forgotten we believe. Yes, the slogans on the t-shirts can be off-putting, but it’s a joy to be in their presence.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

When I came to the diocese 5 years ago, fresh out of college, it was indeed a lonely place to be. I'm glad to say I've seen signs of change. I appreciate your awareness and yearning for more involvement.

I'm a little bit disappointed to read this post right on the tails of a recent one, which touts Rev. Jennifer Looker as a wonderful preacher, "despite being the youngest priest in the diocese." It sounds a little like being gifted isn't something we expect from young persons. I wonder if we might all benefit from looking more closely at the ways we perceive people not of our generation.