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Young people enter Rite 13 probably at age twelve. (The young person should turn thirteen sometime during the two-year duration of Rite 13.) When they turn thirteen, this event is celebrated in the church with a service loosely modeled on the Jewish bar mitzvah. In this ceremony, the young people are charged with the responsibility to use wisely the creative power unleashed within them at puberty. It is procreative power as well as energy useful to all aspect of life. They then leave the congregation in saying a portion of Psalm 139. This is followed by a prayer for parents as they watch their children leave them, embark on the journey of transition from child to adult, and wait for their return as adults and friends. This is followed by a charge to the peers in the Rite 13 class. The peer group is reminded to stand beside them, knowing that their support may mean more than any other in the months and years to come. There is also a Covenant, a reminder to the congregation of their commitments and responsibilities to their youth. Finally, the young people kneel as the Celebrant and parents lay hands on each young person. A prayer and a blessing conclude the liturgy. Each young person receives a certificate commemorating the day. The two years of Rite 13 are fun - games are played, they laugh a lot, and they learn a lot. Matters are treated in a light-hearted way, but that does not mean that serious matters are avoided. Much time is devoted to the great stories of "Holy Scripture and their validity in our day. Such scripture as: Lord, you have searched me out and known me (Psalm 139); Human beings created equal and co-creators with God (Genesis 1:26-31 ); the boy Jesus in the temple (Luke 2:42-52); and the parables of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30). Among other things, the class deals with prayer, with the ways they see and encounter God, with possessions and their importance in our lives, with trust in God in a faith journey together. Every effort is made to keep the process experiential, with a hands-on and "hearts-on" focus. Perhaps more than anything else, all activities are geared to build community among Rite 13 participants, to establish trust and safety, to remind young people again and again that this is their church, and that they are safe and welcome within it. Rite 13 is structured to build a foundation of principles and memories. Memories are important in structuring a community. The Christian faith, like any other religious tradition, is rooted in a heritage of shared memories. Rite 13 provides a balance between physical activities - rope courses, CROP walks, ski trips, hikes and general romping around, and a slow and steady exploration of the development of personality and faith. Rite 13 asks something else of us as a community: it anticipates we will provide our young people with approximately 160 contact hours over a two-year period. These contact hours are divided between Sunday morning sessions focusing on the exploration of fith and personality, and afternoon and weekend sessions which focus on physical activities, movies, diocesan events, and service in the community. |
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