YOUTH WORK OF THE CHURCH

Press, Volume LXIX, Issue 20988, 17 October 1933, Page 10

YOUTH WORK OF THE CHURCH

# REPORT TO SYNOD RECOMMENDATIONS OF COUNCIL The youth work of the church was one of the subjects touched on byBishop West-Watson in his synodical address to the annual session of the Anglican Synod yesterday. Bishop West-Watson said: '"The result of our discussions on youth work at the 1932 session was :hat the Bishop was asked to appoint a council to investigate and report to the present Synod. This was a departure, and marked the increasing conviction of the church that the crumbs which drop from the table of their elders are not sufficient nourishment for the rising generation of churchmen and Christians. They need special care and special provision, and such care and provision ought to be a first charge on the resources of the church. We have heard of the 'articulus stantis aut cadentis ecclesiaa,' the criterion of a standing or falling church. 1 suggest that its youth work is just :-uch a criterion. Facts Must be Faced. "The report of our youth council is in our hands. May I thank gratefully the members of the council and particularly the chairman and secretary for their long and fruitful labours. The report is admirable in its clarity and brevity, but it is not altogether reassuring. First of all 12 parishes did not respond to the appeal for information. I sympathise most deeply with those who feel unnerved by being asked to reply to questionnaires, but if we are to tackle this great, problem we must know first how things stand, and face the facts. 1 trust that the clergy and wardens of the 12 parishes will do their best, to let. Ihc youth council have tlv information they desire at the earliest possible moment. "A second disquieting Itict is that in 15 of tiic 47 parishes which did reply there are reported to be no definite organisations for youth. The Synod will realise that in some of our scattered parochial districts lite working of such organisations is extraordinarily difficult. Further, unless a clergyman has had some special training in the formation and maintenance of such organisations, the difficulty may become a practical impossibility. The council has done wisely in dwelling on the importance of special training for our ordinands, and also on the strengthening of our staff of experts in youth work. I hope to carry out another of its recommendations and arrange for a refresher course and training school in the last week ot February, where this special subject ot work among the young may be dealt with. "But there are some very encouiaging aspects of the information gathered. The grading of Sunday schools is evidently widely established and a great debt is owed to Miss Park and her helpers for their admirable work in this direction. May I, m this connexion particularly commend the outline of teaching just issued by the Sundav school committee. There are 35 boys' and 35 girls' Bible classes m the diocese, as well as 12 mixed classes, in addition to nearly 70 clubs, societies and guilds, and there are more than 140 leaders in this varied youth work It. is clear that there is splendid work being done which only needs developing and extending.

Teaching in State Schools. "A third source of encouragement is the great increase in the number oC children in the State day schools who are receiving religious instruction from nor clergy ' I wish to thank and congratulate" the clergy in those 40 parishes where this work is undertaken I trust that, the number may soon be GO. Cut I should liKe to impress upon the lay representatives in this Svnod the very great expenditure of strength, time, and oilen money which this work entails. It is a labour of love, I know, but it means much preparation and concentration, and perhaps the relinquishing of some work which is relatively less important though perhaps more evident to the parishioners. I would ask the lav representatives of parishes to enlist 'the enthusiastic support of their vestries for their clergy in undertaking this work: and to encourage ;mv v'-ho are suitable and are available to'offer their services as assistants .o the clergv for teaching in the dav schools. This teaching is in many or most eases carried out in co-operation —ith other Christian Communions, ami if we can onlv make it universal and use all the opportunities allowed to us, it may, under God, give a deeper and more soiritual outlook to '.he great mass of our citizens in davs to come. U is an evidence thai the Christian churches are in serious earnest when they ask tor further facilities for such instruction, such as would be afforded by a 'Bible m Schools' Bill. The New Zealand Council of Religious Education links up and focuses the efforts of the churches in this as in other directions, and stands as a witness that we are seeking no sectional advantage, but together strive to win the youth of our country for Christ and Christian fellowship. I commend to the Synod for careful consideration the recommendations made in the report of the youth council." Council's Keport. The report of the Bishop's council stated that the Sunday schools had a roil number of 5773. with 639 teachers. Bible classes had a membership of 2122, with 143 leaders. It made the following recommendations:—

"General—ln any plan for the development of the work it appears that the first step is the creation of a definite personal and corporate interest and concern on the part of the congregations for the welfare of children and young people. To this end we recommend: That file Bishop, the clergy, the Synod, and all earnest laity should concentrate upon the parents with a view to attacking (he indifferent, rousing the careless, and encouraging the enthusiastic. For this purpose nothing less will suffice than the Power of the Holy Spirit. "The Clergj—From whatever angle we approached the subject, we found, ourselves brought prominently before the question of the influence, personality, and power of the vicar. So much depends upon him and his preparation that we envisage a more definite and purposeful preparation for this important aspect of his calling. We recommend--!hat ordinands should bo required lo take a course in education, and. before ordination, lo obtain under accredited instructors some practice in religious teaching, and in various types of work amongst young people, including club and Bible class work; that annual refresher courses in the teaching of religion should be held for the clergy. "Leaders —In almost every case investigated or reported it was disclosed that the work among young people is being hindered for lack of suitable leaders. ft is the church's task lo discover potential leaders. to claim them, and to train them for spiritual leadership. If the church's teaching work is to go forward, some means must be found of helping these young men and women, first with the building up of their own spiritual faith and practice, and then with the acquiring of such a knowledge of the Bible and (lie faith as shall qualify them to teach olheis. We recommend: That more value should be placed upon leaders, and that special and immediate attention should be given to the training, inspiring, and building up, of all present leaders. "We suggest, that Sunday classes should be closed for the Sunday of one of the holiday week-ends (perhaps Labour Dav week-end) and that men and women leaders, teachers and those training for leadership should gather for the week-end in convenient centres for: la) a residential school of religion, or (b) a residential school of prayer, or (c) a residential missionary school, or (d) a residential retreatconference on work among young people, or fe) a residential retreat-con-ference on Christianity and modern life."