Description
As adolescents move from concrete thinking to more complex, global thought, we often see them struggle with the many faces of Church. Mismatched messages from their parents, peers, and the pulpit create a confusing landscape for youth to navigate. The innocence of childhood VBS songs and paper plate crafts is replaced with questions of real-world relevancy and personal value. Just when they need it most, many youth begin to step away from the place they once saw as the physical embodiment of God’s awesome love.
What can educators do to keep these youth connected? Is there even such a thing as the perfect, ‘unicorn’ church?
In youth ministry, we recognize the importance of asking questions, seeking real-world justice applications, and embracing change. These same needs are often met with pushback from society and the larger Church. How do we foster faith in our youth while also supporting them as they ask the hard questions? “What is the vision of my church? Where do I fit in? Where is God in all this holy mess?”
Join us for a conversation about how youth ministry cannot only help youth find their space in a mismatched church, but also begin to build the unicorn church God is calling us to be. Each participant will be invited to share about their ministry context and dream about their own ‘unicorn’. Using a coaching framework, we’ll work to create action plans to take back home, with clear steps to address the specific needs of your own church, as we collectively strive to live into God’s vision for the elusive ‘unicorn’ church—where faith, love, and truth come together perfectly.
Workshop Leader: Kim Ness
Kim Ness is the Interim Director of Faith Formation at two amazing Presbyterian churches – Friendship (Athens, GA) and Madison. Embracing gig life, she is on the board of PYWA, a consultant with Ministry Architects and a trained coach, but her favorite job is walking dogs!
Co-Leader: Courtney Pittman
Courtney Pittman is the Senior Pastor at Madison Presbyterian Church in Madison, Georgia. A former high school teacher and a current chaos coordinator of two off-the-wall boys, she
has a deep affection for podcasts, live music, nonfiction reads, college football, many cups of coffee, and her dogs.