How can we invite young people into lives anchored in faith?

The PCANZ have noticed from Church statistics that only a small number of young people who engage in church ministries make a public profession of faith through baptism or confirmation.

Therefore, we have developed a Confirmation/Baptismal course for years 7-10, wherein ministers can invite their young people to explore issues of faith and provide the opportunity to profess their faith through baptism and/or confirmation/reaffirmation of faith.

The ‘ANCHORED’ course includes a regional one-night or weekend retreat (led by national and/or Presbytery staff) and a five-session curriculum that follows on from the retreat in the local church context. For each minister who has one or more young people interested in exploring faith through ‘ANCHORED”, the commitment would be to attend the regional retreat with the young person/people with at least one chaperone, and then to lead the five sessions with their young people in the weeks following the retreat.

Some hopes and outcomes that undergird this course:

  • Young people would be invited to ask questions and explore issues of faith
  • Young people’s understanding of God and themselves would be strengthened
  • Young people would be encouraged on their journeys of faith
  • Young people would come away with a better understanding of what it means to be a Presbyterian in New Zealand
  • To provide an opportunity for ministers and young people to connect and build meaningful relationship
  • To provide a framework for further discipleship and growth
  • Young people would be baptised and/or confirmed/reaffirm their faith.

The Five-Session curriculum covers:

Session 1: God’s Story, My Story - a session exploring the Big Story of God and where we’re found in it, including some basic theological topics that invite questions. Curriculum

Session 2: Worshipping Together: Word and Sacrament – a session including a focus on the Centrality of the Word within our worshipping communities and life, as well as exploring the meaning of the Sacraments of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper, with room to discuss the practices around these Sacraments specific to your own local church context. Curriculum

Session 3: We Believe: Confessions of the Church and History of the PCANZ – a session including an exploration of beliefs we hold in common and the faith which we confess, by looking at our church confessions and the meaning behind our PCANZ logo. Curriculum

Session 4: This, I Believe: Statements of Faith – a session which aims to encourage and equip participants in developing a living document of who God is to them – the idea of a ‘statement of faith’ is introduced at the retreat and then expanded upon within the sessions. Curriculum

Session 5:  Walking with God: Christian Living – a session focusing on the “habits” of a disciple; exploring prayer, scripture/devotional life, social justice/service, and vocation. Curriculum

For more about the ‘ANCHORED’ programme or other inquiries, please contact:

Karo Wilson, karo@presbyterian.org.nz

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