Hope

Today was awesome!  8 of my youth were confirmed today.  4 of them were baptised today, also.  Today starts the Advent season and this weeks focus is hope.  These 8 young people have brought hope to me and to our congregations.  As I stood up front with them- reading off their names, hearing them agree to their commitments to God and the church, and watching them be baptised, I could see the tears of joy in some of  the people in our congregation and the smiles on others.  This moment was a time for the youth to publicly share the commitments they have already made.
Sometimes I get frustrated because I wonder if the youth joining the church are doing it because their parents are making them or because they feel led to make a commitment themselves.  This group was different.  Although they didn't all have perfect attendance and sometimes they were a bit squirrely, they had all come to me at some point and asked about getting confirmed (except for one).  Right at that moment when they asked me how to join the church, they had made a decision they wanted to be a part of the church.  And, to me, that means everything!
And the one that hadn't asked before confirmation?  He's the one that got to me- the one that brought me tears of joy this morning.  A few years ago when I started, he wasn't my biggest fan.  It wasn't that he didn't like me- it was that he's not big on change and I was a change to him.  So, when confirmation class started and this college freshman was hanging out before class, I reminded him that we were about to start class.  I figured he'd go off with the ones not doing the class this year due to age or already being confirmed.  But, not so.  He was there because he wanted to be baptised and join the church!  What a blessing that he was finally ready!  And because he had waited so long, I knew when he made the commitment that he was taking it seriously.
Back to hope!  So, in this day and age, there are so many things keeping teens from being a part of a church- peer pressure, sports, families not going, etc.  So, any time I see a teen making that commitment, it brings me hope.  And, anytime the congregation sees that commitment, it brings them hope that they are a part of something that is growing!
Blessings,
Jennifer