Virginia Episcopalian Magazine Winter 2014 Issue | Page 26

Wanted

Young Adults
and the Church

It’s a challenge that church leaders consider on a regular basis: How do we attract
young adults to church? How can we become more welcoming for young families?
How can we enhance our campus ministry experiences? And what are today’s young
adults looking for in a church community, anyway?

The truth of the matter is that these aren’t questions with black-and-white,
right-or-wrong answers. So we asked a few folks to consider these questions and
share their perspectives with us.
Janice Dean
St. Paul’s Memorial, Charlottesville

I am looking for a church where I can develop and
maintain real relationships with people who represent the
beautiful range of human diversity along the full spectra of
age, sex, race, sexual orientation, gender identity, ethnicity,
language, country of origin, socioeconomic status, ability/
disability, political conviction, etc. I want a church where
I can belong because there is so much variety among
individuals that no one stands out any more than anyone
else, and where everyone is seeking community in Christ
while acknowledging and engaging our differences.

I love the worship style of the Episcopal Church, and
I love being able to join a worship service in any Episcopal
church in our country and feel like I know what is going
on, however, I grew up in a very diverse community and,
in this way, I often feel that I do not completely belong to
the Episcopal Church because almost none of the Episcopal
churches I have attended reflect the diversity of the
communities that surround them. The primary exception to
this is a worship service I attended at Virginia Theological
Seminary, where the convergence of peoples from
throughout the Anglican Communion naturally blossomed
into a rich worship service grounded in a strong sense of
authentic community in Christ. I am looking for this type of
community – one that bridges real, difficult differences in a
way that allows us to see the richness these differences bring
to the human experience and that gives us a slightly larger
view of our Common Creator.
Margel Snead
St. Thomas’, McLean

Prior to finding St. Thomas’, my husband and I were
looking for a church where we felt at home. We were
welcomed at St. Thomas’ from the moment we set foot
through the door and were struck by the warmth we felt
from the parishioners. I was also looking for a place where
I could share my gifts and where I felt needed. I didn’t want
to be an anonymous church-goer and also didn’t want to be
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Virginia Episcopalian / Winter 2014

valued simply for my demographic. Having the opportunity
to share my gifts has made me feel like more than just part of
the church community. I feel like part of a family. To me, that
is the most compelling part of a church community.
Edie Sellers
St. Christopher’s, Springfield

I was born an Episcopalian. Through my senior year
of high school, I was very active in the Diocese of Virginia.

Dr. Elaine Pagels
presents

The Many Faces of Jesus

Church of the Holy Cross, Dunn Loring, Va.
Thursday, March 13, 7:30 p.m.

Dr. Elaine Pagels is the worldrenowned author of numerous books
on biblical history and theology,
among them, bestsellers such as
The Gnostic Gospels and
The Secret Gospel of Thomas.

Register on line at www.HolyCrossEpiscopal.org.
Tickets $20 per person. Students free with ID.
Call 703.698.6991 for information.
The Episcopal Church of the Holy Cross
2455 Gallows Road, Dunn Loring, VA • 703.698.6991