Sunday School, Grades 6-12
St. Luke's offers Leadership Resources "Journey to Adulthood" program designed for young people in grades six through 12.
What is Journey to Adulthood and what makes it different from traditional youth curriculum? Well, first of all – the program structure is different. There are three sections of the Journey to Adulthood program: Rite 13, J2A and YAC. Each section of the program lasts for two years and that two-year grouping of teens will stay together until they graduate from high school, with no other class being added in (although there will almost certainly be individuals who join the group as new families move in.) This stability of group dynamics creates a safe, sacred space where the group members can learn to trust themselves and each other as they grow in faith.
The first two years of the program is called RITE 13, a name that comes from a liturgical rite of passage we celebrate with young people around their 13 th birthday. This rite is loosely based on the Jewish bar/bat mitzvah tradition and is a way for the entire congregation to celebrate the unique gifts and abilities of its young teens. The two years of Rite 13 focus on recognizing the gifts God has given us, celebrating our creative potential, and learning to interact as a community of faith.
The second segment is J2A, an acronym for JOURNEY TO ADULTHOOD. It is a little confusing since the name of this group has the same name as the entire program, but the reason for this is that the bulk of the work gets done in these two years, building on the foundation of the Rite 13 experience. During these years, teens learn and practice six basic skills of adulthood: active listening, negotiation, assertion, research & information management, partnership and leadership. At the end of the second year of J2A, the group designs and goes on a Holy Pilgrimage.
The last two years of the Journey to Adulthood program are referred to as YAC, which stands for YOUNG ADULTS IN CHURCH. YAC students are encouraged to accept more adult responsibilities and to contribute their time, talent and treasure in support of the ongoing work of the church. Teens write a personal credo of beliefs and rely on their trusted peers as they explore their faith more deeply and struggle with the details of transitioning from teenager to young adult in today’s world.
The Journey to Adulthood experience incorporates much learning and laughter, but it takes our young people seriously and gives them real work to do. The program is based on the key concept that "Manhood and Womanhood are gifts from God, but Adulthood must be earned." It encourages teens to explore the four areas of Self, Spirituality, Sexuality and Society, and learn to connect their faith to all areas of life. It is our hope that this program fosters an environment of wholeness and authenticity and helps teens develop a life-changing relationship with the God who created them.
This journey has the potential to transform not just your youth group, but your entire church. The program uses the collective wisdom of adults in your church to beckon young people into responsible, faithful adulthood. It calls the entire congregation into a deeper relationship with their young people and it calls each one of us – whatever our age – to think about the gifts we have been given. When we find ways to use our gifts to be God’s presence in the world, we can ALL be changed in very powerful ways.
