Celebrating During the "New Normal"

by Dr. Troy Doucet

Like many of you, I have been working from home when I would normally be meeting face to face with my students- both in my academic job as a professor and of course my ministry to youth here at KPUMC.  While it is a necessary good that many churches have transitioned to online services on a variety of platforms because of the Covid-19 pandemic, it does not remove the need students have at this time in their life for connection and community.  In this "new normal" of Covid, what to do with youth ministry has been a little more of a challenge (not that it wasn't before).  The personal and relational experience is such a strong component of student ministry because students thrive on community, developing friendships, and having those close social interactions. 

In response to the stay-at-home orders given by many states, Psychology Today writer Christine L. Carter wrote, “Teenagers and college students have amplified innate, developmental motivations that make them hard to isolate at home. The hormonal changes that come with puberty conspire with adolescent social dynamics to make them highly attuned to social status and peer group." (Click HERE to read the full article.)  In taking away our student's school, church, social hanging out, and parties has created a problem regarding their ongoing development and emotional need for connection.  In fact, according to a recent survey conducted by Medium.com, 40% of students reported feeling disconnected.  

So what can we as a church do to help, to serve and love these students from a distance?  Especially when it comes to those students who are missing out on some of the most important celebratory moments of their lives-- graduating from High School and College?  Well, the answer is we celebrate them as best we can, in a manner consistent with recognizing our current realities.  And THIS Sunday, our church family will have that opportunity to do just that-- honor, celebrate and show love to the few graduating seniors we have here at KPUMC!!  I hope you will join us for our SENIOR CELEBRATION PARADE.  

Here is how to safely participate:

1. Arrive at KPUMC around 12:00PM and begin lining up in a roundabout way in the north parking lot, near the basketball courts/playground.  

2. As our students (who will be participating in our LIVESTREAM worship) begin to exit out of the 1215 doors (around 12:10PM), begin driving/exiting the parking lot to the right, driving slowly down Turner towards Colorado.

3. You can have your windows down, honk, cheer and shout encouragement to the graduates standing along the road.

4. Then proceed safely home afterwards!!  The more people we have who participate, the more love these graduates will feel from our church family during this time where many of these students feel disconnected.....and we are following safety protocols and social distancing guidelines too!  

I hope to see many of you there this Sunday morning for what will be an amazing time together (at a distance).  See you all then!