We believe existing PC USA churches can have staying power and emerging ways of doing church will have staying power too. Below is a proposal, written by Young Adults, for Young Adults in the Presbytery of East Tennessee (PET). Conversations began and ideas began to form…we would love comments and reactions as well as hear what others are already trying to do.

Problem:The link below was taken off the PC USA website after doing a search for Young Adults. It puts words to what many of us have been experiencing and know from our local congregations in the Presbytery of East Tennessee (PET).

Study: most young adults drop out of Protestant churches

Solution: The hope is that this Gap Ministry proposal, detailed below, will be the Presbytery of East TN’s response to these trends for Young Adults in our churches.

Definition: The target audience for this proposal will be Young Adults, post-college to 40 years old. However, publicity will be purposefully ambiguous to allow each individual, regardless of age, to choose for themselves if they are a “Young Adult”. People will not be able to become members of this ministry. If someone would like to pursue membership that person will be encouraged to join an existing PET church. This proposal is NOT meant to be a replacement for attending or joining a community at a PET church, nor an excuse from “parents and family members encouraging (Young Adults) attendance” as the study points out is the best way to keep a young Adult coming back.  It is meant to support and enhance existing PET churches ability to minister to Young Adults. The Gap will start with two separate groups within the presbytery. There will be the Knoxville/Maryville Gap Ministry and the Chattanooga Gap Ministry. Each will be led by the leaders in that geographic area. The primary focus of the Gap is not so much age as the following:

The Gap Coordinator and the Gap Church Satellite Leaders (Gap CSLs) commit themselves and are committed to equipping Young Adults in the Presbytery of East Tennessee for Being Connectional, Being Reformed, Being a Witness, Doing…

Ministry Servants: Gap Coordinator, Gap Church Satellite Leaders (Gap CSL), Gap Plants – Each satellite will recruit a core of about 8 young adults, preferably current PC USA church members, to make a one year commitment to participate in the Gap Ministry.

Core Goals: The Gap Ministry will help create a space and a safe, intimate place for Young Adults to discover, enhance, and/or explore their faith within the PET.  The Gap Coordinator will oversee the start and development of this ministry. Because there are only a couple PET churches that have a paid dedicated Young Adult staff person, Sequoyah and New Providence, it is necessary to have the Gap Coordinator to spearhead this new ministry. The Gap Coordinator’s job will be to see the “Big Picture” and “keep the ball rolling” by equipping and recruiting people, mainly the volunteering Gap CSLs, to help lead, resource, implement, and enhance the core Gap Ministry elements. Currently 8-10 Gap satellite church leaders (So 8-10 PET churches) will be recruited to volunteer, help develop the creation of this ministry, and be trained as needed. Each Gap CSL will be either a church member or staff person of the PET church they represent. They are the direct link between the Gap Ministry and their PET church and the surrounding community. Their resources, connections, and ingenuity will be used to personally invite Young Adults and their churches to be a part of this ministry. Along with the Gap Coordinator each of them will serve on a Gap Committee that plans and develops the events throughout the year. Lay the groundwork for the PET Gap Ministry to grow each year and become sustainable through wise stewardship by all the Gap leaders, the Young Adult participants, and the PET. One major goal of the Gap Coordinator would be seek and pursue creative grant financing locally and nationally. In other words, this ministry would be sustainable without being a burden financially on PET, any one person, or a PET church. Improve the ability of all churches in the PET to share and encourage Young Adults to be connectional, faith seeking, and active in the larger PC (USA) body of Christ through good, clear communication and cooperation. Develop a plan for publicity and create a web and social network presence. Develop the Gap Ministry with the core elements: a monthly Presbyterian Pub (For those worried about overt alcohol/bar references, the old meaning of “pub” as “public” meeting house – signifying the way in which we are being the church out in the world.), a monthly fellowship dinner followed by dynamic reformed worship service, and a quarterly service/mission tied to an existing PET church.

Core Ministry Descriptions: Monthly Presbyterian Pub –  Gap CSLs will be trained and prepared to lead Presbyterian Pub and these events will launch this ministry and help establish the core of the Gap Ministry. Groups of 10 – 15 Young Adults will meet at a local bar, coffee shop, or restaurant. These meetings will occur in several locations at once with the possibility of childcare being provided by a close PET church. A Gap CSL will lead a time of informal discussion of faith, politics, the Bible, everyday issues — whatever’s on people’s minds (May use Christian Century or Thoughtful Christian for topic/discussion starters). While discussions will be flexible and fluid the leader will come with a topic to “get the ball rolling”. The goal is to provide an avenue to build and nurture Christian community in a relaxing and less intimidating way for newcomers to get acquainted with faith and theology topics. The idea is to limit the fear some people have of the unspoken rules of church that keep them from actively seeking faith development.

Monthly fellowship dinner followed by a dynamic reformed worship service – This will be offered the second Saturday of each month, starting October 10, 2009, with childcare offered at PET churches close to worship location. The goal is to offer a completely different worship experience than someone can get in most existing PET churches. Worship will be centered on four styles. So each style would be offered three times in a year. The styles are as follows: Spiritual Practices, Font & Table, Celebration (Singing & Prayer), and Art & Technology. The goal will be to provide a more dynamic, fluid process. There will still be an order of worship but it might not be overt.

Quarterly Service through Local Mission – (To build the Gap ministry gradually, and hopefully successfully, the mission component as been scheduled to begin later. However, in some cases, regional groups may choose to make mission/service opportunities available earlier – especially if it is just a matter of inviting young Adults to participate in something a local congregation is already doing. Mission will be a primary focus of the Gap ministry.) To build a connection between the Young Adults and the PET churches a Local Mission will be chosen through each PET church that has a Gap CSL. So if there were 8 Gap CSLs there would be 8 choices for Local Missions for the Young Adults to choose to participate in. The idea is to piggy back on great Local Mission opportunities that are already occurring. No need to recreate the wheel but rather an opportunity to enhance and build relationships directly among Young Adults and PET churches.