After they graduate

Group, Jul/Aug 1998 by Narum, Janet

Youth ministry is a "short-burst" profession. Most of the contact we have with young people lasts from two to seven years. So we use the time we have to teach the basics about the Christian life, and we do our best to offer kids Christlike love. Then, on the day they graduate from high school, our continuing impact in their lives fades into oblivion.

One day, as my husband and I navigated the Seattle freeways, I began to wonder if there was a missing ink in our youth ministry. Ne live in Walla Walla, five sours from Seattle. Many of zur young people move to he Seattle area after they graduate. That day, I thought of how good it would be to visit the kids who'd left my ministry. But knew there were too many for one afternoon.

Meanwhile, questions kcept resurfacing in my mind: Have they gotten involved in a good church? Were they in healthy relationships? Were they lonely and scared? Had we done all we could do to give them the right start in life?

When we arrived home, we asked the church for help in re-connecting with the young people from our ministry. The church designated one evening as College/Career Cookie Night. Families baked cookies and brought them to the church kitchen. We boxed cookies and candy, and used popcorn as packing filler-35 boxes in all. Then we enclosed cards signed by many of us.

We sent some to young people in the armed forces. Two went to young missionaries. We hand-delivered all the packages addressed to locations within a five-hour drive, including those in Walla Walla. Three church families agreed to deliver the packages to sororities, fraternities, dormitories, and apartments over a weekend.

Some young people were excited to introduce us to their friends and eager to talk about their Christian growth. Others were excited to have company because they were stressed and lonely. Some seemed a little embarrassed because they'd strayed from the Christian community. All were reminded of Christ's love for them.

We continued to reach out around holidays. We offered a special get-together for graduates returning home at Christmas. On Valentine's Day and Easter we placed cards addressed to our absent young adults at the back of the sanctuary and asked the church body to sign them. Many young people received cards with over 100 signatures. The church family enjoyed reading the pile of thank you notes for both the cookies and the cards. In addition, we encouraged people in our church to keep lists of those who'd graduated and remember them in prayer.

We're now in our sixth year of this program. And our church has learned that longterm relationships count in young people's lives. It's all part of teaching about le love. If we loved and cared about them when they were in high school, why stop when they graduate? G