Welcome
Each month one or more of our youth writes a column observing what is going on in the lives of modern teenagers, the Church and the world, and offering reflections on the Christian life and faith. Through this series of columns, we hope to connect you with the lives and brilliance of our young people; to offer reflections on our ongoing congregational life and mission; and to invite further reflection and deeper discipleship. We welcome comments and suggestions. The words of our young people here are an invitation to continue the conversation!
As we conclude one of the most important times of the year for Christians, I have been reflecting on faith and my part in it. To me, being a young person with faith is often strange. The two ideas seem almost incompatible, as faith is always taught to be something greater than us, perhaps something that humans, especially children, will never understand.
Two stories featured in the 2020 Advent Messenger by Katherine Hattersley and Vivian Hattersley.
For as long as I can remember, every Sunday morning I’ve gotten up, brushed my teeth, put my church clothes on and scrambled into the car with my family to go to Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church. My experience with the church has changed as I’ve gotten older. When I was younger, church was more formal. We’d start in the “big church,” as we called it, have a Children’s Moment, and then process down the aisle and into the Education Building. Church as a youth is more informal. We’re in the gym, and we clap, eat donuts, play games and participate in small group sessions. Even though the two programs are different, they each hold a special place in my heart because of the people and experiences I've had in them.
These two articles written by BMPC youth and alumni highlight their experiences as they begin their freshman year in both high school and college amid the coronavirus pandemic. Read both to better understand the recent experiences of teenagers in transition, particularly during the pandemic.
For a lot of students, Online School has been problematic. It’s hard for a lot of people to live, work and learn in their own bubble, seemingly separate from everyone else. For me this spring, my procrastination grew from a problem that I could deal with to an all-consuming void that stopped me from doing any work for hours as I just sat around with my laptop nearby. I managed to get through the year, but it was an uphill battle against my own apathy. I had a harder time doing work because anything I did felt so separate from any other humans.
Over the past few months, I have been isolated at home with my immediate family. We have, for the most part, stayed at home and been with each other. COVID-19 has changed the way we live as a family. We have had our fair share of fights and arguments, as does every family. Still, we also have begun new traditions and have grown together. We began to walk both our family dog and my sister's dog every night after dinner. It is refreshing to get outside and be with the people you love. I look forward to this every day because it allows me to forget about schoolwork or my internship and focus my energy on my family.
2020 has certainly been a wild ride. We've faced threats of a second Cold War with Iran, coronavirus, quarantine, and now protests and riots about racial inequality are happening around the world. It feels as though we are living through a chapter in one of my high school history textbooks.
