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Journey to Adulthood (J2A)

WHAT IS THE J2A PROGRAM ALL ABOUT?

The Journey to Adulthood is a complete youth ministry program of spiritual formation for 6th-12th grades. It uses Bible study, prayer, rites of passage, outreach ministries and both serious and playful activities to underscore its two guiding principles:

1. Manhood and womanhood are free gifts from God.

2. Adulthood must be earned.

There are three two-year segments of the program:

Rite-13: The first two years (6th and 7th) focus on celebrating the individuality of each young person and their creative potential. The Rite-13 liturgy (A celebration of Manhood and Womanhood) is the community expression of this and a rite of passage from childhood towards adulthood. A lot of time is also spent on community building and forming a cohesive group. This two year cycle culminates in the Urban Adventure, a trip to Washington DC where the youth practice their emerging adult skills of organization and cooperation.

J2A: The middle portion of the program (8th and 9th), engages youth with the skills and critical thinking involved in adulthood. There is much emphasis on developing their spirituality and spiritual practices. The youth plan and embark on a pilgrimage together at the end of this segment. This experience is often the spiritual highlight of their youth.

YAC: This is the part of the program when the older teens (11th and 12th graders), after exploring their own spirituality, discern and carry out ministries within the church or in the larger community. Vocation and development of a personal credo are also emphasized. The youth will also plan a week-long mission trip at the end of these two years. A final rite of passage sends them out into the world as ambassadors of Christ.

The youth in all three groups meet every Sunday in Trinity House after the 10:00 service. One Sunday per month, the youth join in a special evening service and classes from 5:30 - 7:45 PM. They also participate once a month in an "extracurricular" activity such as bowling, picnics, lock-ins, etc.

The Journey to Adulthood program is designed to bring young people into full participation in the life of the congregation so they actually ARE the church of today instead of the church of the future!

If you have any questions about the program or would like to learn more about it, please contact Susan Damiano.