Salt & Light Youth Ministry Breaks Record with 102 Participants

Last Friday, our Salt & Light Youth Ministry set a new milestone: 102 participants gathered for the first session of the season.

Nearly a decade has passed since we launched this ministry as a pilot project in our church. I never imagined it would evolve into such a vibrant ministry that attracts the youth of our community, helping them learn more about their Christian-Armenian identity and practice their faith among their peers. 

As I reflect on the journey of Salt & Light in our community, I can identify the key factors that have contributed to the success of this ministry.

Hospitality:

Every meeting of Salt & Light begins with a dinner. Our program facilitators work hard to prepare a sit-down meal where adults and young participants can come together and enjoy conversations. Sometimes things can get a bit loud, and there might be a little chaos now and then, but that’s expected when young participants range from nine years old to teenagers up to eighteen.

Our hospitality model is grounded in biblical wisdom. Just as Jesus shared meals and broke bread with various groups of people, we strive to do the same with the intention of forming meaningful friendships and establishing a lasting relationship with God's house: the Church. We want the youth to understand that the church can provide physical nourishment, but, more importantly, it offers spiritual sustenance.

Community

After the meal, the youth gather in their designated small groups, where an adult facilitator is responsible for teaching the day's lesson. This is a crucial aspect of our ministry because it shows that faith is practiced at every stage of life. The teachings of the church are not solely the responsibility of the clergy; rather, they are a reality that every Christian must embrace. When our youth see adult facilitators engaging with them to teach about our faith, it boosts their confidence in belonging to the same community. Although we all face challenges, we can rely on one another for support as we journey together from this life to eternal life.

Last Friday, I felt overwhelmed by the sheer number of participants. About 25% of the attendees arrived unexpectedly, which increased the workload for the facilitators in terms of providing meals and reassigning small groups. However, after that initial chaos, everything functioned like a well-oiled machine.

The Nicene Creed

The theme for this season of our Salt & Light Youth ministry is the Nicene Creed. As Christianity celebrates the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea in 325, we have chosen to focus our efforts on teaching the Creed to our participants. This past summer, I dedicated time to preparing four lesson plans that cover key topics: God, God’s creation, the Son, the Holy Spirit, and the Church. A week before the sessions began, we held a training session for our facilitators.

Some may argue that teaching the Nicene Creed to young people is too ambitious and that they may not fully understand it. However, I believe differently. Just as middle and high schools don't shy away from teaching students about Shakespeare and Newton, the church should not shy away from conveying deep theological concepts to young minds.   

Bringing it all to the Sanctuary

We have developed the habit of gathering in the sanctuary after our breakout sessions. At the conclusion of the sessions on Friday, we all gathered in the sanctuary, and I made an effort to engage with all participants. Interacting with 102 young boys and girls proved to be quite challenging. I asked them questions, responded to their inquiries, reiterated key teachings from the lesson, and, most importantly, we recited the first part of Havadamk together.

Afterward, we returned to the main hall for dessert and continued our conversations. By 9:30 PM, which was half an hour after our scheduled dismissal, I flicked the lights to signal that it was time to go home.

Looking Ahead

We have three more sessions planned for this season. My prayer is that Salt & Light continues with the same enthusiasm and faithfulness, drawing our young people closer to one another, to the Armenian Apostolic Church, and to Christ Himself.