We take young people seriously – their questions, their energy, their spirituality. The mission of AFP is embodied in the Rite of Admission to the program, which takes place on Advent I and is intended for 7th-graders, and all other youth who have either not yet participated in the rite or who have come to Trinity at an older age. The principles embodied in the Rite and upon which all aspects of our program are based and structured are these:

1. Jesus’ own example of learning from the elders in his community grounds the program.
2. Each young person is ultimately responsible for his or her own journey in Christ.
3. Trinity’s parents commit and entrust their youth to learn, ask questions in the context of community.
4. The congregation is responsible and accountable for knowing its young people and for walking with them in faith.
5. Young persons have genuine faith, spirituality and witness to offer the community.
6. We intend to raise up young people who are strong in that faith and ready to serve Christ in the world in his name.

Rite of Admission.

This rite is used at the beginning of each academic year to mark an important transition toward faith maturity. We include all youth grades 7 to 12 who have not yet been initiated into AFP.

The youth making this transition and their parents or guardians come forward following the Nicene Creed

• The People still standing, the Celebrant says:
  Brothers and Sisters in Christ: When Jesus was a youth, his parents took him to Jerusalem for the Passover festival. While there, he separated from his parents in order to go to the temple. He sat among the teachers listening and asking questions and all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. Like Jesus at the Passover festival, these young people are growing in authority.
  
  Today these young people accept responsibility for their individual journeys to claim the promises of Baptism. As Jesus went into his Father’s house, these young persons in our midst stand before us to claim their rightful place in the community of faith, that they, like Jesus, may increase in wisdom and in years and in divine and human stature.

• The Youth turn to their parents and say:
  We ask for your blessing and trust on this journey.
• Parents (facing their own child[ren]):
  We bless you. We trust you. Go with God’s grace.

Each parent marks his or her child’s forehead with the sign of the cross. Parents then return to their seats.

Examination of the Congregation

• The Celebrant then says to the congregation:
  As a community of faith, we have promised to do all in our power to support these persons in their life in Christ. Do you reaffirm your commitment to this promise?
• People: We do.
• The Youth, facing their parents and the congregation, ask the following questions in unison:
  
  • Youth: Will you tell us the truth about your own faith?
  • People: We will, with God’s help.
    
    
  • Youth: Will you challenge and help us as we try to understand God in our lives?
  • People: We will, with God’s help.
    
    
  • Youth: Will you hear us when we speak?
  • People: We will, with God’s help.
    
    
  • Youth: Will you respect us in our doubts and honor us in our failures?
  • People: We will, with God’s help.
    
    
  • Youth: Will you show us by word and example what it means to repent and to forgive?
  • People: We will, with God’s help.
    
    
  • Youth: Will you acknowledge us, and know us by name as brothers and sisters?
  • People: We will, with God’s help.

Examination of the Youth

• Celebrant: You have bid us to maintain our steadfast support with honesty, integrity, and respect. We now ask the same of you. Will you promise, therefore, to continue to learn and to ask and to pray as you enter a new stage in life’s journey?
• Youth: I will, with God’s help.
  
  
• Celebrant: Will you faithfully participate in the life of the Church, challenging the congregation to give a faithful and honest account of itself?
• Youth: I will, with God’s help.
  
  
• Celebrant: Will you resist the urge to separate yourself from the faith community when you doubt our relevance, sincerity, and purpose?
• Youth: I will, with God’s help.
  
  
• Celebrant: I present to you these young persons who live among us as brothers and sisters that they may learn, listen and question.
• People: We invite you in the name of Christ our brother to claim your place among us.
• The Priest places a hand on each young person’s head, marking on the forehead the sign of the cross using Chrism and saying:
  N. (and N.), stay with us, and remember that you have been marked as Christ’s own forever.
• If an individual has not been baptized, the following form, without Chrism, is used:
  N., stay with us, and go with faith toward unity in the Body of Christ.
• The Celebrant says:
  Who will walk with this person?
• A volunteer working with youth will stand and say:
  I will.
• When all Youth have gone out into the Congregation the rite concludes as follows:
  All stand.
• Celebrant says:
  Let us pray. (Silence)
• O God, you have blessed us with minds to think and hearts to love:
  Grant us all the courage to seek you, the strength to endure, the wisdom to listen, and the grace to confront the difficulties and uncertainties of life, that we may be renewed in our common life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

© 1998 Trinity Episcopal Church, Excelsior, Minnesota. All rights reserved. Permission will be freely granted to use all or part of this rite with the stipulation that requests be submitted in writing. Nancy Brantingham, Jackie Johnston, Jan Kordonowy, Jan Sutton, and Andrew Waldo developed this rite in 1996 under the auspices of the Trinity Church Youth Board. Revisions by Andrew Waldo and Melinda Harris.