Beyond Marriage, Money
and Mortgages: Pursuing
Meaningful Connections with
Young and New People
Bronwen M. Henry
W
ith tears in her eyes, the young woman standing in front of me described
how uncomfortable she is when she goes to church. She has gone to
church her whole life, and recently relocated to a larger congregation.
When she shows up she feels that people either awkwardly avoid her,
leaving her standing alone, or they ask who she is related to, who she is married
to, or if she is planning to have children.
My heartstrings are tugged even further as she describes how this leaves
her feeling – lonely, isolated, not good enough, and certainly not wanting
to come back. She is a vibrant 24-year-old, but when she goes to church she
suddenly loses her confidence and pizzazz, and is filled with self-doubt instead.
With her story in mind, I recently heard a presentation by blogger and
author, Carol Howard Merritt. She spoke of the (not so) subtle message young
people can get at church – that when you are ma