Interesting chat with my old-school Anglican mother-in-law:
She told me of a church they were ministering in where the person who had previously taught the confirmation classes had told the children (now grown and elderly) that they only needed to come three times a year. Easter, Christmas and one other. And come three times they did, and no more ... religiously.
She and her husband were in an uphill struggle to shift this mentality.
For many it was a financial thing. When you came to church, what did you bring with you? An offering.
It was also a financial reason why some never received their confirmation, because they couldn’t afford a white dress. As a result they attended three times but never received communion for the rest of their life because they weren’t confirmed (although they’d done the classes).
Some of these churches were rural and some in attendance were illiterate at the time. One was here in an affluent part of Hobart.
But goodness! My heart broke.
At University Fellowship of Christians we are in a unique position to speak into the University realm of conversations and ideas and worldviews and point those who are questioning, confused by the world's lack of answers where authenticity becomes the ethical standard.
Christians and churches (both local and further afield) partnering with us in this important work makes a massive difference in young people's lives as staff and students are showing up and are here for these types of conversations.