“Allow the children to
come to me," Jesus said. "Don’t forbid them, because the kingdom of
heaven belongs to people like these children" (Matthew 19:14). I think that it’s great that our congregation
embraces this statement of Jesus in so many ways. Through our groups for children and youth we
are providing opportunities for children of our local community and church
families to hear the good news of Jesus.
There is also the faithfulness of parents who prepare and bring their
children to our groups and to our worship services. Their faithfulness extends to the
opportunities they take to develop their children’s faith in their homes. Thank you to all who are involved in bringing
children into a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ.
Each one of us in our congregation has a part to play in
deepening the faith of children and youth, because we all affect the culture
and environment of the congregation and the warmth with which children, youth
and their families are welcomed and accepted.
Thank you for your willingness to create a welcoming church atmosphere
that allows children and youth and their families know that this is a place for
them to grow in their faith.
This culture does come at a cost. Our worship services are not always silent,
with little people making noises, wriggling and moving around. We need to be extra vigilant in the car park
and there is a need to look out for children running around in their
excitement. Catering for children means
that there will be toys left lying around, things might be broken and the place
may not always be as tidy as it could be.
There is the inconvenience of having to open and close the child proof
gates. Thank you for your willingness to
put up with these costs.
Sometimes we might ask why we endure this cost. Jesus helps us see that the kingdom of God
belongs already to little children. Children
and youth are not here as an extension of their parents, because they can’t be
left at home by themselves. They are
here because they belong to the kingdom of God and that Jesus Christ has died
for them and redeemed them into his kingdom.
In living out the Great Commission we are called to make disciples of
all people and teach them the ways of God.
Simply by giving children and youth an experience of a welcoming and
inclusive church, we can help them understand Christ’s call on their lives and
journey forward in their discipleship.
The reward that we get from allowing
children to come to Christ is to see them growing as disciples who own their
faith and take their place in the life of the church. At present we have amazing young adults
involved in our church as members of church council and elders; as worship
leaders and musicians at the 9:30 and the 6pm services; and as leaders of our
youth groups. What is more, these young
people are being a Christian witness in their places of work, study and leisure
and actively living out their faith.
Thank you for what you have done to nurture these young adults to this
stage in their life.
Grace and peace
David Fender
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