Rite 13
Young people enter Rite 13 probably at age eleven or twelve. The young person should turn thirteen sometime during the two-year duration of Rite 13. When they turn thirteen, this event is celebrated in the church with a service loosely modeled on the Jewish bar or bat mitzvah.
The group meets after the 10:00am service from around 11:45 – 12:30 every week. About once a month, there is a special afternoon event in the Rectory shared with the older groups in the program. There might be a movie, a special drumming session, cooking a meal or any number of other less “class like” events.
The two years of Rite 13 are fun – games are played, they laugh a lot, and they learn a lot. Much time is devoted to the great stories of Holy Scripture and their validity in our day.
Among other things, the class deals with prayer, with the ways they see and encounter God, with possessions and their importance in our lives, with trust in God in a faith journey together. Questioning is a healthy and integral part of the discussions. Every effort is made to keep the process experiential, with a hands-on and “hearts-on” focus. More than anything, the intent is to shepherd these young people as they begin the journey from childhood to adulthood, allowing them experiences in growth that recognize the pressures and complications of being a teenager today. The activities are geared to build community, establish trust and safety, to remind young people again and again that this is their church, and that they are safe and welcome within it.
And within the activities and experiences, ultimately, is the exploration and continuing discovery of their place in God’s world.
© Copyright 2010 Christ Church Poughkeepsie | 845.452.8220 | 20 Carroll Street Poughkeepsie, New York 12601-4314
Visit us on facebook