Graduates - Faithfully Walking 

(Just add Jesus!)

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Below are ideas for the local, regional, and general level to help “walk faithfully” next to those who are graduating in a time of transition. The church community needs to creatively find ways to offer both ways to celebrate, grieve, and walk faithfully next to our graduates and their families.  

 

Let’s be honest, the church is not always the best at supporting our young people. In this time where our energy has shifted, my prayers are that the gifts of our graduates are significantly engaged in their life and faith journey during this step and the next. Our graduates deserve more than our “thoughts” or just a “moment” they require inclusive communion.

 

Based on conversations with graduates, families, and those who work with these ages, our goals are to help faith communities by not doing what everyone else is doing but doing what the church needs to do.

• Enabling our graduates to make a faithful and lasting mark.

• Engaging in faithful rites of passage and rituals in updated ways.

• Creating connections for life’s difficult transitions.

 

Everything we have put together is to help the local church and smaller faith communities (like divinity house, seminaries, camp groups, etc.) have multiple ways to live into being the church that can strengthen and grow established and new relationships.  

 

At all moments, we first must encourage you to be safe. If YOU Give Gifts - GIVE SAFELY: Gloves, masks, disinfectant, hand washing, and physical distancing.  If you are virtually connecting, follow the guidelines. Safety is what helps us create safe and sacred spaces.

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Suggestions and Resources - "Walk WITH"

The most important thing you can do for any graduate is spend quality time listening and being with them. “Walk” with them in this life and in their faith journey. Every person, community, and family needs something different - but we all need to know Jesus through our relationships with each other. 
 

Emotional Support Resources
 

NBA "SoulCare" - Lamentations and Celebrations of Graduates

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Camp Support (See Below) 
Rites of Passage and Liturgy (See Below) 

Article: With Senior Year In Disarray,
Teens And Young Adults Feel Lost.
Here's How To Help

Who is GenZ?

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Family Support

Letter to Moms by Ginger Brandt

Prayer from Dad to Grads by Jerry Johns
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Faith Ideas for Graduates 

Graduation Milestone Moments by Milestone Ministries

Reinventing graduation: 3 ways to honor milestones in the midst of pandemic by Fuller Youth Institute

Faith Based - Graduation Parade

Virtual Worship Service Liturgies

Graduation Sunday Liturgy, Hacking Christianity Blog

Creative Prayer

Graduation Scriptures
 

Regional Level 

Love Letters to Camp (Walking with Our Camp Grads) 
We know that every region and area is having to respond in different ways to keep those who love camp safe this summer. The Young Adult Commission invites those who are graduating, leaders, campers, and staff to take some time and write your “love letter to camp.” We want to be able to give each person a way to express, cry, smile, and celebrate all that has brought them closer to God through knowing great people, and finding sacred and holy spaces.

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Camp

For many camp is  big deal, and Ministries Across Generations Youth and Young Adult leader, Randy Kuss, has been working closely with our outdoor ministry groups. Continued updates can be found on the Association for Outdoor Ministry Facebook Page. 

InsideOut (Summer Camp Curriculum for many regions) has put together virtual tools. 

Senior Rite of Passage by Lee Yates

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Gifts from the General Level to the Regional and Local Levels
Social Media Sharing

Whether you “live into” our theme for 2020 or not, we want to help create slideshows, share images, archive, and make sure that the faithful responses of helping our seniors in this time and the stories are saved, shared, and part of both the present and the future. Please e-mail images or hashtag #ministriesacrossgen, #ccdoc, and #dhmissions. You may also want to make sure to share with the Disciples of Christ Historical Society. 

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