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08 July 2013

Methodists wake up to the need for exam stress relief

by Seb Turner

Today more than ever, exam students are under an immense amount of pressure. Stress plagues the younger generation during exam periods and up until recently there hasn’t been a collective movement of the Church to change this.

However, the Methodist conference has just voted for resolutions that will allow better understanding of exam stress that young people face.  

These brilliant resolutions have asked the whole Church to be aware of exam pressure and for key church events to be scheduled away from exams, enabling exam students to study but not miss out on anything.

As well as this, the resolutions also asked that churches would give space for young people to raise, discuss and explore important questions without judgement, and that as churches discuss issues of human sexuality, young people’s voices should be heard.

This is vital as it gives young people a place in their church, a reason to be there and without resolutions like these young people will just be squashed out of church.

So where are these resolutions coming from? The Methodist Children and Youth Assembly: a group of eight to 23-year-olds who annually meet at the 3Generate event. The 3Generate event is a place of worship and fun for children and young people.

Hayley Moss, Methodist youth president for 2012-13, said: "3Generate is a great time of fun, worship and learning, but these resolutions also show the breadth of serious discussion that goes on. Each generation faces its own challenges, but young Methodists are deeply engaged with the current and future life of the Church."

These resolutions show that young people are real and discussions at the 3Generate event are serious. This is a great witness to young Christians today and is so important as it confirms the fact that they are the future of the church and should be recognised and taken into consideration if they are not to be squeezed out of the Church.

This is what has just been recognised in the Methodist Church, and is something that should continue to be acknowledged throughout the Christian world.