Jay Campbell, Director of Youth/Young Adult Ministries at Clinton UMC in Clinton, NJ shares this idea for challenging youth to see the deep needs of the world through a contemplative experience exploring documentary photographs. For those of us who might think that teens can't handle silence or contemplation, Jay offers a window into just what can happen when you provide the right atmosphere:
We
moved into the sanctuary with only a few dim lights on and
instrumental music playing in the back ground that invited us into a
holy space. Throughout the sanctuary we placed 20 pictures (last time
they were chosen from Buzz Feed’s Most Powerful Pictures from 2012
and 2013). We invited the students to take as much time as needed to
explore the humanity in each picture and to write their response on
the paper.
I was blown away by what the youth wrote. They wrestled
with questions of theodicy, saw hope and perseverance, saw the call
of the church to stand for those oppressed, wrestled with the reality
of a broken and painful world, as well as seeing the hope and
possibility of a new reality. The first time we did this our middle
school students stayed in the sanctuary for almost an hour, after we
finished, to continue praying and expressing their honest thoughts
and emotions. When everyone was finished, we stayed in the sanctuary
to have honest discussion about our reactions. I will admit that it
has not always stirred up joyful responses, but we journey together
to see the reality that many face everyday in this world and end with
the hope of God’s reign coming and our call to be apart of its
in-breaking here and now. The Spirit of God has worked powerfully in
these spaces.
Some
photos are heartbreaking, others inspiring. Each one stirs emotion
and I challenged my youth to ask the questions: Knowing each photo
represents a person, a story, a struggle (most often representing the
reality of many people): Where is God in this picture? How is God at
work? Where is God calling you and us to act and respond?
Jay
has been in ministry for a little over 5 1/2 years serving in roles of
youth ministry and internships that include the United Methodist General
Board of Church and Society working on the issue of combating human
trafficking. In May 2014, he will graduate from Wesley Theological
Seminary in Washington, DC with his Masters of Divinity. He is currently
serving as Director of Youth/Young Adult Ministries and Missional
Witness at Clinton United Methodist Church in New Jersey. Jay loves to
cheer on the Tennessee Volunteers, and proudly loves to watch
professional wrestling (what is often called the fake kind) for his
guilty pleasure.
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