Adjusting as a twentysomething

I've decided that making adjustments in life is hard, no matter where you are. Life leading up to and after my college graduation was nothing like I anticipated it would be. Surprises have presented themselves around every corner I've ventured. I began dating a guy in the spring (something I vowed I'd never do so close to graduation); lost 80 percent of my earthly belongings in a tornado that destroyed my university's campus; moved into an apartment causing my three college suitemates and me to be separated; struggled through my remaining weeks of classes; graduated at the top of my major; took a job at a newspaper in Alabama; moved into an apartment with two of sorority sisters; acquired more bills than I thought possible; left my boyfriend four hours behind; and began, as I now know it, "big girl life."
Each of these items came as a surprise in my life and, in no way, aligned with the plan I had laid out for myself. Nonetheless, God provided.
I am now living in Birmingham struggling to figure out how to fit in. I have never in my life had problems making friends, but I am daily realizing I don't really know how to make friends in a young professionals environment. No one ever prepared me for that. I studied public relations and marketing and being a boss and compling to a boss. No one ever gave me a course on "How to be an adult" or "How to meet new people when you're the only new person." I had no idea this was a game I would be thrust into without choice, as if placed in the arena with the late 1980s Rock'em Sock'em Robots waiting for the springs attaching my head and neck to expand.
So this is it. My time to, well, shine?
Sure, go to church - make friends there. Isn't that the easiest answer? But that requires finding a small group, and finding a church, and visiting dozens of local churches trying to determine which ones hold your values, your beliefs, preaches Holy Scripture, has a style of worship you're comfortable in and offers ministries for not only the young and old but, dare I say it, the young professional!? For this, I have come to realize, is something found far and few between at local churches.
For some reason we have become the neglected generation - the group the church fears. We're out of youth group, which is heavily promoted as establishing faith during the teen years. And if you're lucky enough to attend a college in what is considered a "college town" then you will more than likely find numerous churches branching out the that age bracket providing an abundance of involvement opportunities. But after that college age, the church gets confused. "They're not 'students' any more ... they must be adults. They'll fit fine there," church leaders conclude. And so we're left to fend for ourselves in the most defining stage of our lives.
Nevermind the idea that we may need guidance on how to become an adult, on where the best restaurants in town are. The thing is, our generation is not like it was 20 years ago, surprise surprise! We're not living in the same town we grew up where we know everyone. We're not going back home to live with mommy and daddy while we figure this "adult" thing out.
We're branching out - traveling, experiencing new territories - alone. No one to hold our hand, no one to guide us, no one to be our friends. Just us. This is the prime time for the church to engage! Agreed, the church's job is not to continue to bottle feed its believers. We should be able to stand on our own, hunt for our own spiritual food, etc. etc. etc. But what about the community of faith that encompasses believers? What about an accountability group to help meet the harvest? What about those older than us to invest, lead and guide us in our new decision-making process.
I'm pretty sure this is just as important as an active children's ministry, an effective youth ministry and a thriving senior adult ministry.
We need a place, a community of believers, friends. Something and someone with which we can be involved and engaged and take an active role of participation.
(...to be cotinued)