Student, 16, Finds Role on Diocesan Council
Episcopal News Service. March 3, 1977 [77076]
BOSTON, Mass. -- One of the first things the Rt. Rev. John B. Coburn did after his consecration and installation as Bishop of Massachusetts was to invite a 16-year-old girl to sit on the Diocesan Council as a full member, representing the youth in the diocese.
Ms. Su Odden, the girl chosen to sit on this policy-making board, is a sophomore at Wellesley High School and very active in youth ministry. She was instrumental in planning a successful diocesan-wide youth convocation that took place last fall. Nevertheless, she claims she was a bit intimidated by the bishop's invitation at first. In the article below, excerpted from her parish (Church of the Redeemer, Chestnut Hill) youth letter, she reflects on her feelings and the role of youth in that diocese.
"I guess a good place to start is at the beginning; at Trinity Church in Boston. It was there that Bishop Coburn asked me if I would consider being one of his appointees. I must say I was confused. I really didn't know what the council was but I accepted with the feeling that if the Bishop was involved it must be legitimate.
"So off I went one chilly November weekend to the Diocesan Retreat house in Swansea for an overnight meeting. I was truly excited. Right off I met some really super people that accepted me well. I felt at ease but ignorant. I guess it was that evening that I stopped being confused about my position and started feeling honored: superior honor. I was a member of the Council.
"Some time, and a few meetings later, I now can write personal observations and feelings about the whole situation. It's all very fascinating. I get to be in on all the discussions of budget problems, foreign aid, and a whole cross-section of thought provoking topics. I have to listen carefully to pick up the meaning of the discussions, which sometimes get deep and heated. Now, in any group get-together with discussions, I find it much easier to lead as well as actively participate.
"I also feel a sense of responsibility. This isn't just fun and games anymore. We all deal with a great many people, their beliefs and even their lives. It is a very serious undertaking dealing with human beings. I sometimes think, that the fact that we are working for the people of many different parishes may be overlooked by some; and that we get caught up in the excitement of managing and governing a large diocese, which is what the Council is really all about.
"It's important to be powerful, yet one must also be humble in order to succeed. Every once in a while I need to remind myself of the purpose of the Council and try to bring my thoughts back to earth.
"Basically though, my interests lie in getting more youth involved. I know there are kids like me who would really be interested in learning about how the church ticks, and maybe they might even be interested in attending the Diocesan Convention as a group. The adults don't know what they're missing excluding us from these things. The Council has already gotten a taste of the joy youth can bring. I think they like it, I hope so, because they'll be hearing from us!"