Journey to Adulthood

Christine Appleyard-Smith
Ministry Intern

We are in our fourth full year in the Journey to Adulthood Program!  Once again this year, we have a totally fantastic group of leaders and a dynamic group of young people!  Certainly not like any other Christian Formation experience, J2A is not a curriculum; it's a journey into spirituality and faith formation.  Full of good times and fellowship and discussions, 7th through 12th grade young people are forging lifelong friendships in a safe environment where they are valued, nurtured, and given real work to do, while discovering and celebrating their God-given gifts!  Journey to Adulthood is divided into three groups:  Rite 13 (7th and 8th graders), J2A (9th and 10th graders), and YAC (11th and 12th graders).  The J2A program meets on Sunday mornings (September through May) during the Education Hour from 10:10 to 11 AM.  Questions?

J2A Pilgrimage Group Raffle

Want to be the first person to get the inside scoop on this summer’s J2A Pilgrimage to Greece?  The group will be selling raffle tickets in the coming months.  Here’s how it works:  You buy a raffle ticket now, and in June we pick the winners.  When we return from the trip, we will host a Greek dinner for five winners and each of their five guests to talk about our trip.  Tickets are $50.  All proceeds go toward our trip.  Want to support this cause but won’t be here for the dinner?  If you win, we’ll donate $500 to the charity of your choice.  Be on the lookout for youth selling tickets!

Dominican Republic Youth Trip - June 21-28, 2008

For several years now, Christ Church has been working with the people in a small village called Jalonga to raise their expectations of a better future.  We work with the Episcopal Diocese of the Dominican Republic and particularly with Ricardo Potter, a priest with more than 20 years of experience  managing mission work for the National Episcopal Church.  Father Potter, who spent some of his formative years living in Jalonga, is dynamic, personable, and filled with God.  He has helped us to recognize that the support from Christ Church is truly making a difference there.  Our fourth youth trip to Jalonga will take place from Saturday, June 21 through Saturday, June 28.  Bruce Price and Douglas Yago will lead the trip this year.  Questions or more information?

Journey to Adulthood Pilgrimage - July 2008

Though Christ Church has used the program called “Journey to Adulthood” for the last four years, we have not offered one of the keystones of this program for youth spiritual formation.  After the 9th or 10th grade, as the youth complete the second two-year component, they are supported in making a holy pilgrimage.  A pilgrimage is a spiritual discipline practiced by many world religions as a way to seek the Holy, the presence of God in a challenging shared journey.

John Crossan, Christine Appleyard-Smith, and Ruth Kirk joined J2A leaders Rufus and Rosanne Miller to work with the interested youth in discerning God’s call.  On January 6, the group shared a dynamic moment of inspiration.  Greece was chosen as the place to seek God.  The time frame is July 5 through July 14, and the journey has now begun as the youth decided to meet weekly in preparation.

Leaving home and family, leaving the comforts of known geography and traveling to seek the presence of God together, the holy pilgrimage is one of those pivotal moments in the whole faith journey.  Please support the youth with your prayers and, when possible, in the fund-raising to reach their goal.

Medical Release Form