Dear United Parish Family,
If you’re reading this, chances are you have some feelings about being a teenager- whether it’s something you’re looking forward to with joy or anxiety, something you’re right smack dab in the middle of and trying to navigate, or something you look back on with a whole mix of memories, angsty and nostalgic all at once.
And you know what? Even Jesus was a teenager, with all that that entails – he even got scolded by his parents once or twice! It’s a weird and wonderful time in our lives, and a time when it’s extra important (because it’s often extra-hard) to know that we aren’t alone, that we have the support, love, and respect of our community.
This Sunday, we will be celebrating our Rite 13 students as they mark their entrance into adolescence. This ceremony gives us a way of saying to our young people things we have meant to convey all along – things like: “We stand with you as you make your way on the journey; we’re here if you need us; we think you are terrific; we love you.” We often assume that our teens feel appreciated and accepted as a vital part of our parish, but adolescence can be such a time of uncertainty, and some things just can’t be said often enough.
Come worship and celebrate with us at 11am in the Sanctuary and online on our YouTube page!
In faith,
Amy
