Make it
ripple M
Ecumenical youth ministry creates wave of peacemakers
By Wendy Healy
any organizations say youth are their future, but Ascension Lutheran Church, South Burlington, Vt., puts its money where its mouth is.
CLAIR AIMI
Youth from Ripple, an ecumenical youth group, take a break after planting donated bulbs and plants last October around a family’s new Habitat for Humanity home in Burlington, Vt. The youth group is a cooperative effort of Ascension Lutheran Church, South Burlington, Vt., and nine other Lutheran, Episcopal, Presbyterian, Methodist and United Church of Christ congregations.
Unable to afford its own youth pastor, Ascension teamed up last year with nine other Lutheran, Episcopal, Presbyterian, Methodist and United Church of Christ con- gregations to start Ripple, a greater Burlington area youth ministry cooperative.
“If we do not engage our youth and if they are not com- mitted to our life in the church, we do not have a future,” said Rachel Stampul, 32, director of Ripple. “Even the tobacco companies know they have to mar- ket to youth,” she said with a laugh. “Unfortunately, youth ministry has become largely devalued in our denomina- tions. It’s been consistently neglected.” Each church contributes to Stampul’s part-time sal-
Healy is a freelance writer in Connecticut and a member of Trinity Lutheran Church, Brewster, N.Y.
30 The Lutheran •
www.thelutheran.org
ary, which she anticipates will become full time soon. “When you pool finances and resources, including our
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