The participants discussed various aspects of adolescence and how to take into account those aspects as we dialog with adolescents. The youth workers shared their experience in bringing adolescents to and rooting them in the church. Yekaterina Wilhelm, ELCIR Uralic Deanery youth work coordinator, shared how Velmema Lutheran Church in Saransk, Mordovia, has been working with young people. Heli Makarova, leader of an adolescent group at the Lutheran Church of Koltushi, Leningrad Oblast, presented a confirmation training course. The full day’s seminar work concluded with a brainstorm on a strategy for further congregational work with young people.

 

Partial feedback:

 

Yekaterina Wilhelm, Velmema Congregation, Saransk, Mordovia: “It’s so good to be able to share your concerns with other servants! We had a great meeting about youth work. Servants from big metropolitan and small rural congregations shared their unique experience in youth work and its special features. I especially appreciated the know-how from Koltushi—the two-year ‘Adolescent Confirmation Training Course.’ It’s especially valuable to be able to support this category of church members in this important life period. Many thanks to Heli Makarova and all the participants for the preparations.”

 

Daniil Urayevski, the congregations in Roshchino and Kanneljärvi, Leningrad Oblast: “I am very happy to attend such meetings. You get to hear lots of testimonies leading you to further thinking and to the hope that next time you can get answers to the questions you’re struggling with.”