By Stanley P. Caine, Adrian College President

An "environmental scan" developed by an agency of The United Methodist Church contains the following surprising finding: "The age of the average attender in The United Methodist Church in the U.S. is age 56. Thirty-nine percent of those who attend United Methodist congregations in the U.S. are 65 years old or older."

Many mainline Protestant denominations are suffering substantial losses in membership and attendance. In church circles the question is often asked, "Where are the young people?" There are many answers, but one good one is "in college."

I am serving this year as president of the National Association of Schools and Colleges of the United Methodist Church (NASCUMC). This organization represents over 120 Methodist-affiliated colleges, universities, seminaries and preparatory schools who together enroll about 250,000 students annually. Its members range from large national universities like American, Duke and Emory Universities to smaller institutions like Adrian and Albion Colleges. While each institution has its own way of expressing its church-relation, all provide opportunities for students to examine moral and spiritual issues and develop their own patterns of belief and faith.

Encouraging this generation to care about others and to engage in moral and spiritual inquiry is not difficult. I cannot think of a time in my professional career when students have more eagerly embraced their obligations to help the less fortunate and improve the society. At Adrian, for example, a growing number of students are participating in Habitat for Humanity projects, some are taking advantage of service-learning components offered in certain courses, and groups are raising substantial sums of money for worthy causes through Dance Marathon or other efforts. In addition, philosophy and religion majors are increasing, chapel attendance is up and students are showing a very strong interest in a variety of religious clubs, organizations and activities.

NASCUMC will emphasize two important goals this year: to help the few, but growing, number of its member institutions whose futures are in jeopardy, and to seek new ways to strengthen the connection between the Church and all of its related colleges and universities. Most of these institutions are experiencing a decline in financial support from congregations and Annual Conferences. Some will not survive in a very challenging financial environment without increased efforts by the Church and its members to assist in recruiting more students and attracting more financial support.

But the stakes are greater than this. College students around the country await the affirmation that their spiritual awakening and their commitment of service to broader humanity will find fertile ground in the institutional church. What they learn and how they are treated as undergraduates may well determine the focus of their future activities, including their participation in the church. If churches and their related colleges and universities respond effectively and in concert, the reward could be an infusion of talented young people that would revitalize congregations and reverse the troubling trend of rapidly aging membership.