Junior High Youth Ministry Conference Held
Diocesan Press Service. November 15, 1974 [74325]
ATLANTA, Ga. -- A conference of 72 youth leaders -- clergy and laity -- met in Atlanta November 7-10 to focus attention on Junior High young people.
The group produced the following conclusions: Despite superficial evidence often to the contrary, youth of this age are interested in dealing with religion. Though in an in-between age, Junior Highs are interested in participating with older age groups. Opinion was divided over whether they wanted informality or formality in their program; however, the group was agreed that Junior High youth had to take part in planning and executing any activity designed for them.
The conference, the first in the fourth province to deal specifically with needs of 7th, 8th, and 9th grade youths, was led by three Executive Council staff persons: Ruth Cheney, the Church's Executive for Program, assisted by Jim McAlpine and Elizabeth Crawford, Youth and College Ministries Coordinators.
Guest speaker was the Rev. John Gattis, a United Methodist Church minister from Nashville, Tenn., whose special focus is the Junior High youth. Estelle Warren, the Diocese of Atlanta's Christian education consultant, was in charge of arrangements.
The conference began with questions, concerns, and expectations voiced by all and reported by buzz group leaders. The invited speaker, John Gattis, next spent a morning describing the Junior High youth. Then, led by Ruth Cheney, all discussed the typical youth which John Gattis had so graphically drawn.
Having developed a theoretical picture of the typical Junior High youth on Friday, Saturday was spent putting things together, i.e., envisaging the parish situation, simulating programs and, in workshops, deciding upon special needs and interests for Junior Highs.
Finally, conference leaders displayed and discussed available resources and spent time in individual question and answer periods.
Thursday, the first night, was for questions. Here are some of those raised: What grabs them? Why is there tension between Junior Highs and adults? How does one achieve two way communication? Who makes the plans? Why do we adults fear this age group? How can the church include them in the community? How can program ideas be developed with young people themselves? Is group dynamics a useful tool? What kind of sex education is needed? What about use of audio-visuals? Worship forms, like the folk mass? What excitement on relevancy does the Church offer?
In drawing a picture of Junior High youth in their environment on Friday, John Gattis worked from a multi-colored chart. It was drawn so that on the top and bottom outside influences were listed and in the center were descriptions of the inner workings of these youth. Outside influences were peers, religion, economic level, social class, local conditions, family education, cultural condition. Inside we saw in developing lines the tendency for exploration and experiment, the tendency for exploration and experiment, the tendency to look for a leader. Deeper inside the typical Junior High youth, we saw an impulsive, often emotional person, seeking new meanings and interpretations of his own. Along with physical changes came the quest to seek sexual identity. Mentally he was beginning to reflect. This youth was leaving given morals and faith and seeking his own. He or she was seeking acceptance and at the same time was narcissistic in self reflection. Basic questions were: what for this person is the meaning of salvation, eschatology, and a proper social role, but their meanings might be different for them.
On Saturday the group spent the day in specific workshop experiences. One group did a Bible game on the Adam and Eve story. Interest groups worked on such projects as confirmation, service projects, and conferences and retreats for Junior High.
In an evaluation session many said they had gained a new perspective. A description of a good leader of Junior Highs is a person who remembers, listens, is a fellow learner, and stays in touch.