Journey to Adulthood & Confirmation

What is Journey to Adulthood?

The Journey to Adulthood is a complete youth ministry program of spiritual formation. It encourages relational ministry and uses Bible study, prayer, rites of passage, outreach ministries and both serious and playful activities to underscore the two guiding principles of the program: 1) Manhood and womanhood are free gifts from God 2) Adulthood must be earned. This year we offer the first two sections of the Journey to Adulthood program: Rite 13 and J2A. Each section of the program lasts for two years and that two-year grouping of teens will stay together until they graduate from high school. This stability of group dynamics helps create safe, sacred space where the group members can learn to trust themselves and each other as they grow in faith. Journey to Adulthood is based on the principles of relational youth ministry. This engages many more adults in building relationships with youth and providing positive role models for them.

Rite 13 (for 6th - 7th graders)

The first two years of the program is called RITE 13, a name that comes from a liturgical rite of passage we celebrate with young people around their 13th birthday. This rite is loosely based on the Jewish bar/bat mitzvah tradition and is a way for the entire congregation to celebrate the unique gifts and abilities of its young teens. The two years of Rite 13 focus on recognizing the gifts God has given us, celebrating our creative potential, and learning to interact as a community of faith while exploring Biblical stories of God and God's people.

When: Sunday mornings during the Christian Ed hour 11AM – 12PM Where: Women's Center behind the A-Frame

J2A (for 8th - 10th graders)

The second segment is J2A, an acronym for JOURNEY TO ADULTHOOD. It is a little confusing since the name of this segment has the same name as the entire program, but the reason for this is that the bulk of the work gets done in these two years, building on the foundation of the Rite 13 experience. During these years, teens learn and practice six basic skills of adulthood: active listening, negotiation, assertion, research & information management, partnership and leadership. The end of the second year of J2A is marked by the group designing and going on a Holy Pilgrimage.

When: Sunday mornings during the Christian Ed hour 11AM – 12PM Where: Conference room at A-Frame Chapel

CONFIRMATION (for 11th - 12th graders)

Confirmation is the sacramental rite in which the candidates "express a mature commitment to Christ, and receive strength from the Holy Spirit through prayer and the laying on of hands by a bishop" (BCP, p. 860). Those who were baptized at an early age are invited to make a mature public affirmation of their faith, recommit themselves to the responsibilities of their baptism, and receive laying on of hands by a bishop (BCP, p. 412). This class will explore the Episcopal Church and what it means to be confirmed. Participants are given the option to choose to receive the sacrament of confirmation by the bishop during his February 24th visit. 

When: Sunday mornings during the Christian Ed hour 11AM – 12PM Where: Conference room at A-Frame Chapel

EYC - Episcopal Youth Community (for 6th - 12th graders) 

EYC gathers about once/twice a month for service, social, or diocesan events in addition to Sunday mornings. Check the weekly e-newsletter, bulletin insert, or the website calendar for these events.

Click here to see a road map for Children's & Youth Education for the next several years.

Email Christy Beesley at christy@staugustineschapel.org for more information.

St. Augustine's Ministry, Staff, Volunteers, and Advisory Board members all undergo "Safeguarding God's Children" training.  Click here to open a document summarizing the safeguarding guidelines at St. Augustine's Chapel.