Journey to Adulthood for Teens

J2A:

A Transformational Way to do Youth Ministry

Manhood & womanhood are gifts from God; Adulthood has to be earned.

J2A core philosophy

J2A classes meet at the same time as Sunday School, but its not Sunday School. Sunday School is for kids, J2A is for teens who are preparing to become adults. If you want have the same rights as an adult, no one is ever going to just give it to you. Just like you have to prove you can be a safe driver before the state will issue you a drivers license, teens have to prove themselves to other adults before the rights and privileges of adulthood will be given to them. J2A offers safe ways for teens to build the skills and relationships they will need and explore the world of becoming a Christian adult. While Christian formation is a lifelong process, this program gives young people a firm foundation on which to build.

When & Where

From 10:15 to 11:00 AM on Sunday mornings during the school year, teens meet in their classes in the back of the Fowler House. There is education, conversation and some plain old fun.

So how does J2A work?

The program falls into three distinct phases, each of which is two years in length: Rite-13, J2A (Journey to Adulthood) and YAC (Young Adults in the Church). The term J2A refers to the overall six year program as well as the middle two years where the heart of the growing up is done.

Rite-13 (R13)

Recognizing Gods gift of manhood and womanhood, beginning separation.

The first two years of the program is called Rite-13, a name that comes from a liturgical rite of passage we celebrate with the young people around their 13th birthday. This rite is loosely based on the bar/bat mitzvah tradition and is a way for the entire congregation to celebrate the unique gifts and abilities of their young men and women. The Rite-13 program assists young people as they begin to take the first steps of independence from their families into their own lives. During these two years, the community acknowledges the gift of gender, celebrates the amazing creative power and potential of these young people, and creates a safe haven in which to explore new ideas, new interests and new abilities.

J2A

Earning Adulthood, Initiation

The second two-year segment is J2A an acronym for Journey to Adulthood. It seems a little confusing for this second phase to have the same name as the entire six-year program, but this section was the first piece developed and many young people find that the bulk of their formational work gets done in these two years. The J2A years are the heart of the entire program. During the J2A phase, teens learn and practice six basic skills for adulthood:

1. active listening

2. negotiation

3. assertion

4. research & information management

5. partnership

6. leadership

In addition to the skills listed above, teens learn different methods of Scripture reading, prayer and community-building. After two years, they are acknowledged as being equipped for new levels of responsibility and are given an opportunity to be confirmed. They are also invited to make a holy pilgrimage.

YAC

Being and Adult, Owning it in the community

The last phase, Young Adults in Church (YAC), encourages older youth to take on more adult responsibilities both in their church and in their community. They are challenged to become good stewards of their time, talent and treasure. They work on identifying their gifts and commit to a specific ministry that uses those gifts. They study some of the church's ancient creeds and then write their own statement of beliefs. They look back on what they have studied, learned and experienced over the last six years and use that as a basis for their own spiritual growth.