Youth

Minute for History - presented on 4/29/2007

Today we will consider the history of our youth fellowship groups.  When our church was founded, a specialized ministry for youth was a relatively new concept.  At that time youth between the ages of 13 and 20 who were still in school were often treated no differently than the younger children of the church, with no special program provided for them.  Our church addressed this problem in 1910, when our first youth organization was created.  Incorporated as a separate organization with its own by-laws, it was known as “The Young People’s Association” and had an initial membership of 50.  Its early records show that the group discussed such diverse topics as “Christianity and the Home,” “Christianity and Labor Problems,” Christianity and Business” and “Church Architecture.”

By 1914 the Young People’s Association had become part of the “Christian Endeavor Society,” a national youth ministry still in existence today.  Established by a Congregational minister in Maine, the society was to encourage youth who were endeavoring to live a Christian life.  The Christian Endeavor Society’s stated objective was “to promote an earnest Christian life among its members, to increase their mutual acquaintance, and to make them more useful in the service of God.” The Christian Endeavor Society continued through the 1920s, eventually establishing a union with similar Societies at three other churches in Ardmore.

With the arrival of Dr. Frew as our first minister for Christian education, the youth ministry was reorganized into the Junior and Senior High School Leagues.  Records from this era show that the youth continued to discuss serious topics, with such titles as “Our Belief About the Trinity,” “Mission Work in India ,” and “The Contributions and Needs of the American Negro.” During these years activities were also expanded to include social and recreational events, such as bowling and swimming, although these events were never held on Sunday. 

The youth program grew so large that in the 1940s a Youth Advisory Counsel was established. This group, comprised of youth representatives, was given the responsibility of “promoting all youth expressional activities not pertaining to the direct supervision of Church school.”  This group recommended programs and oversaw its own budget. It began a weekly publication known as “Saturday Morning” which was mailed to all church youth.  This publication continued into the 1970s.   By the late 1940s the youth groups became known as the Youth Fellowships, the term still in use today.  The fellowships continued their weekly devotional meetings, often inviting adult leaders of the church to speak on topics of interest.

In the post war years, the youth fellowships began to include events away from the church, notably youth conferences held at church retreats such as the Kirkwood Camp in the Poconos.  For a number of years the youth conducted a summer work camp at the Warren Wilson College in North Carolina, a Presbyterian mission college with which our pastor, Dr. Faulds, was closely associated.  Later, under Dr. Yeaworth’s leadership, the youth led vacation bible schools at churches at such diverse locations as New Mexico and Jamaica .  In more recent years the youth have been regular visitors to the Presbyterian youth conferences in Montreat, N.C.

Throughout the years the youth fellowships have provided a venue for youth to meet and support each other as they mature in their faith. This is particularly important in a church whose youth have invariably attended a number of different schools during the week and have seen each other only on Sundays.  As a result of the youth fellowships many have developed life-long friendships, and yes, sometimes even romances. Among those who attended youth fellowship together and later married are: Bill and Bea Robinson, Laird and Barbara Simons, Wally and Louise McClain, Sturgis and Joanne Poorman, and Angela and Bill Wurster.