The adult youth group

Those born from the mid 70s to the early 90s, the older GenXers and young millennials, are underrepresented in the life of many Methodist Churches. That does not mean these age groups are any less spiritual but it can be that finding a space for them to meet and chat can be difficult. Like all age groups, they have their own life experiences and challenges, some that may be best shared with someone of a similar age.

At some Methodist church's in Cambridge more than 65% of the congregation are under 60. Many of those members can be very busy with full family lives and jobs. Trying to find time for church meetings can be really difficult and, while they are all committed to the church, most don't physically have the time to help due to jobs. Other members are single or do not have children making family events less suitable for them.

“There is a lot of effort to reach the very young and those, let’s say ‘less young’. When you hit 21 you kind of fall off a cliff,” says the minister of Castle Street and Histon Methodist churches, Jenny Pathmarajah. “I decided to provide a space for them just to have social time and to sit and to be. So once a month, we meet in a pub. It's taken its own creative name of the “Adult Youth Group” and that's what we call ourselves.

"There is no set agenda to the meetings, sometimes they are spiritual, other times less so. We'll talk about what's going on in people's lives. It's a support group, and so in its own way, it is prayerful. It just doesn't have to be ‘hands together, eyes closed, let's have a prayer meeting or a Bible study’. It happens much more holistically, as in real life, in the way that we support each other.

“It's quite easy to get caught up in church politics, but when you're meeting outside, where none of you have any responsibilities, it gives you a freedom. It's a witness too. I'm here sat in my dog collar and they love that, because the local community see me and they know what we do and they love it.”

Each week everyone gets emailed or messaged to remind them they are welcome at the Rose and Crown at 8pm. The number of people attending can vary from a humble, but grateful, trio, up to a dozen. Ages range from 30 to around 45 years old.

Those who come to the event are a varied crowd, even for a diverse, young city like Cambridge with teachers, mums, scientists, philosophers and computer programmers all coming together.

Naomi is a teacher and part of the group, “We just like to spend time together. You don’t have to prepare anything. The last thing you want to do after a day at work is feel like more work. I have no responsibility here, unlike in my professional life.”

Su is a programmer and a mother, “I like hanging out with this group as you can share what you want and you can fit it around your children.”

Chrissy commented, “This is a chance to meet ‘real’ people and to get to know them far more than you would during an out of context conversation over a cup of tea with someone who doesn’t understand what I am talking about.”

Jenny describes her group as having been forgotten by Church. “We were too young for MAYC, we were too old for 3Gen. We're the last of the MethSoc generation at university but we were brought up faithfully in the Church. We've just missed out on the big initiatives but the Adult Youth Group provides a fun, space for natural conversation of support.”