One to watch

Some people decry the apparent apathy and disengagement of our young people. They probably haven’t met Joshua Spyropoulos.

A Year 8 Redeemer Lutheran College student, fourteen-year-old Joshua has spent all of his life in the Lutheran church. ‘I’ve always liked to see the bishops and all of the people in the church, especially gathered for big events’, he says. ‘But I know that worship and big events like Convention are much more than what you see. I wanted to see what it was like behind the scenes.’

Joshua was one of a number of young people who took part in a rite of baptismal remembrance at the opening and closing worship services (page 4). His involvement didn’t end there though. He came back to Convention on Thursday and Saturday, keen to observe as a visitor in the chapel.

‘I got to see what the different groups and committees were like and how they expressed their message’, he says. ‘I loved hearing what people wanted and how the constitutional proposals and amendments were argued from different viewpoints, and how they came to an understanding, and then delegates voted.

‘I’d love to come when I’m eligible to be a delegate, to be a part of that see here now. I think that I’d like to be part of a committee and to express my opinion too.

‘At the end of synod I didn’t want it to finish. It was so great to be part of the fellowship, of seeing everyone gathered in the one space.’