By Leah Yanuszeski, Review Intern
Church services don’t stop Sunday afternoon for participants of EDGE.
Kensington Church, held locally at Lake Orion High School every Sunday, offers a program geared towards high school students, and their lifestyle.
EDGE, as it is commonly referred to, hosts around 60 Lake Orion students, from freshman to seniors.
The main church has five locations, including the one in Lake Orion. Kensington’s main campus, however, is located in Troy.
All four smaller campuses, including Lake Orion, feature the EDGE program. Every Sunday night, around 450 students gather at Troy.
‘Some of the students that come love God, and some are still checking out this whole Jesus thing’and that’s OK,? said Amanda Kozlowski, EDGE director for Lake Orion’s campus.
After arriving in Troy, students split into their small groups.
Each group contains around ten students, plus an adult mentor.
Here, students are able to talk with mentors about everyday problems and the pressures they face as teenagers, along with simply sharing stories.
‘EDGE isn’t your normal youth group, you talk about important topics like drugs and alcohol, gossip, God’s word, and much more,? said student Delaney Ryde.
Students described the atmosphere as ‘not church-y? and less awkward than church services.
Instead, mentors provide a down-to-earth message that teenage students can easily relate to.
The mentors? goal is to reach out to people who think church is not relevant to everyday life.
‘All of the leaders are very chatty and personable, and willing to help me out,? said Kate Kildahl, a tenth grade student and EDGE participant.
After the small group session, all students meet up for a combined church service.
Dan Sadlier serves as the Kensington’s head director and pastor. Music, performed by live bands, dramatic skits, and humorous videos are incorporated into the service.
The message is relevant to the student’s lives, said Kozlowski.
Instead of watering down the message, the skits and other methods of communication keep students attention and help get the idea across in a positive, interesting way.
The service, described by participants, is a ‘high energy, low pressure? message.
Students agreed that without EDGE, they wouldn’t look at life the same way; some said the program keeps them out of trouble and encourages them to think twice before making a decision.
‘To me, EDGE feels like a second home. It literally changed my life and made me look at life the way it should be looked at,? said Doug Grandy, an EDGE student from Oxford.
The comfortable environment created every Sunday night allows speakers to talk with a large group of students about serious subjects.
Previous services included ‘Things That Make You Go Mmm…?, which brought temptations and peer pressure to the table. Such messages supported bringing God and faith into the student’s everyday lives.
‘Every week I get to be with a group of students who are trying to live their lives in a way that’s different from what the media and society is telling them,? adds Kozlowski.
The EDGE program is something that students simply want to fit into their busy schedule.
The small-group mentors provide support to students who reach out with questions concerning God and life.
Considered a second home to many students, EDGE offers church services applicable to teenage life.