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[Back to index of May articles] 20s/30s network connects Generation X By Lucy Chumbley A nascent Young Adults Ministry Network in the Diocese of Washington is hoping to draw people in their 20s and 30s closer to the church and to each other. Since its launch in December the group, made up of young adults in around 25 parishes, has burst into life, with members sharing invitations - to each other's ski trips, pot luck dinners, theater performances and wine tastings - as well as ideas and resources. "This started as an idea to find out how many churches were out there that had 20s and 30s that were active in the congregation or wanted to be active in the congregation," said the Rev. Preston Hannibal, the diocese's canon for academic ministries. The Washington metropolitan area attracts young graduates in "droves," he said, many of whom are seeking a church home and a greater connection to the community. But until recently there hasn't been a specific program in the diocese for this age group. "We have a Christian education program that deals with a variety of age groups," Hannibal said. "We have a program for schools. We're recognizing the youth ministry. We're recognizing the college program. But what happens after college?" "I think it's a really wonderful time for the church to reach out to people in that age group," said the Rev. Shearon Williams, associate rector at St. Mark's, D.C., who along with St. Columba's parishioner Jill Brown Kettler represented the diocese at a national gathering of young adults and young adult ministers in Denver last September. Williams, Kettler and Hannibal also serve as the new network's informal steering committee. "People are making really big decisions in their life, and the church can be an oasis," she said. The national church identifies young adults as those aged 18 to 30, Williams said, but in the diocese these groups vary widely in how they identify themselves. "Some include college students, others are singles groups," she said. Some groups include married couples, while others also are welcoming of young families. "Once we get it all back, we're going to do some number crunching," she said. The committee hopes the ensuing report will provide a comprehensive picture of where of where the church stands that might be used to develop a blueprint for the future. Brown said the survey aims to refine the church's focus so more relevant resources can be developed, because "life issues like jobs and homes and relationships are very different for people in their early 20s to people in their mid-30s." Still, there are many common threads, Hannibal said: Many members of this group did not grow up in the Episcopal tradition and are not overly concerned with church politics. "The notion of getting together to talk about the major issues of the church is not what they're about," he said. "The 20s and 30s group is more about the day-to-day working of the church. These folks are more interested in how they can be effective in growing the church and doing those things that are the ministry of the Gospel on a day-to-day basis, which is really kind of cool. The group doesn't wear its theological perspectives on its sleeve - they just kind of go and do." "A lot of the people leading these groups just want to get together and talk with other churches about what's been going on and what models are out there," Williams said. "People really appreciate that they're connected to other churches. The connection is concrete when you see other people your age doing what you're doing - knowing that there's a broader church." The new diocesan network is looking at ways it can more effectively involve 20s and 30s in individual parishes in the diocese, Hannibal said. It also aims to help and encourage parishes with just a few active young adults to reach out to this age group. The diocesan network is now meeting on a monthly basis, but in true Generation X style, the group has also been forging relationships in cyberspace. This casual, grassroots approach appeals to this generation, Hannibal said, and so far it seems to be bearing fruit. Sometimes he wonders, "How do you keep it organic? How do you keep it alive?" But he's not too worried: "One of the great things about humanity is there are always 20s and 30s coming up." l If you are interested in starting a Young Adult Ministry group in your parish or joining in the activities of an established group, contact Hannibal at 202/537-6552 or phannibal@edow.org [Back to index of May articles]
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