From England-Statistics for 2012 show that the number of young people (under 30s) accepted for training for the Church of England ministry last year was 113, 22% of the total. This is the highest number in the past twenty years and is exactly the same as the statistics for the Diocese of Lichfield.
Says the Revd David Newsome, the Diocesan Director of Ordinands:
“There is now a full recognition that ministers need to reflect diversity of Body of Christ – our church communities – with people of all ages. The American theologian [name?] said that ‘without young ministers, the church loses cultural fluency’. Former Archbishop Rowan Williams phrased it ‘Without young clergy, how can we speak the language of a new generation?’”
Matt Harbage is 27 and in his first year of training to be a priest at Westcott House in Cambridge:
“I was at secondary school and attended a Baptist church when I first thought about calling and ministry. I finished my degree at York and came to work at Keele University’s chaplaincy team. I talked a lot to the chaplain there, and he saw something that made him want to connect me with the DDO. Through many meetings, we explored my budding sense of calling and desire to contribute to and support the church for over 10 months before I was recommended for training. There was some recognition that the church reflects its leaders, and keen to engage younger people in the church. I wonder if there’s a certain cynicism that age brings – I still believe we can radically transform the world and transform the church in the here and now.”
More here-
http://www.lichfield.anglican.org/ournews/story/337/
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