02/07/2024 0 Comments
Dear People Oct. 20th, 2019: Walk the Way of Love
Dear People Oct. 20th, 2019: Walk the Way of Love
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Dear People Oct. 20th, 2019: Walk the Way of Love
Dear People of St. Columba’s,
Good Work is underway in our Children, Youth, & Families Ministry around the Way of Love. Evident especially in Godly Play last week, our children seem to have an innate understanding of what it means to Walk the Way of Love, a journey that asks us to de-center ourselves in the hope of seeking Jesus in all that we do. It turns out children and youth are especially skilled at this, perhaps it is all the sharing, listening, and doing that is asked of them in their day to day lives. Last week in Godly Play, through our study of the 10 Commandments, we were able to talk about the Rules of Life we make for ourselves, and how we are already living into the Way of Love, and didn’t even know it! If the Children of St. Columba’s can walk this path, so can you! So, I invite you now to walk the Way of Love as we finish out 2019, there are a dozen ways to participate at St. Columba’s, and even more that can be done at home with family, or alone with your thoughts.
You may have seen Mother’s Alissa letter on our Children and Youth Ministry last week, detailing the mind-blowing growth of our 0-18 Programs in recent years. We can now expect anywhere from 20% to 30% of our congregation to be under the age of 18 on any given Sunday. At St. Columba’s we affirm children as full members of our congregation, contributing in unique ways to our community, they are as precious to the body of Christ as anyone else. We believe that each child comes to us with a pre-existing relationship with God. Our role as the church is to equip them, like we do Christians of all ages, to deepen, express, and explore their relationship with God through meaningful programming, permission to play and create, and the sharing of our traditions as Episcopalians.
Something that has come along with our increase of people under age of 18, is a need for more hands to work with them. Before our population boom, we may have gotten by with 2-3 volunteers on any given Sunday, maybe by combining classes, bending the rules a bit when it comes to Safeguarding Guidelines, and cancelling or rescheduling programs when there is only 1 or 2 children/youth. But that is not sustainable anymore, because the kids have arrived! On any given Sunday, we can expect 5-10 kids in each of our four age ranges, and on big Sundays, or Sundays after a holiday, that number can swell 50-60 children and youth at church. Imagine, a group of 50 children and youth, from infants just a few months old to 17 year olds on the cusp of adulthood, three people are certainly not enough to adequately manage everyone’s needs.
On Sunday mornings, 8-9 people are working with children 0-18, 2 for each our three classes, 2 looking after infants and toddlers, and myself coordinating everything, greeting families, and stepping in to teach as needed. As many of our volunteers are monthly, and we have 3 paid staff most Sundays, myself, and two childcare providers for 0-3 year olds, we need 18-24 total volunteers to run a sustainable program for Children, Youth, and Families at our Church. As we do not currently have enough volunteers for any of our ministries to Children, Youth, or their Families, our strategy is to have children 3-18 in the service on Sundays when there are not enough adults, and not to offer as much in the way of Family Formation and events, as coordinating events, invitations, food, activities, and decorations takes away from paid time spent preparing lessons, connecting with families, and ministering to our youth.
People of St. Columba’s, I have a new way for you to Walk the Way of Love this season, come be the hands and feet of Christ to the children who bless our church. Come help our toddlers get their wiggles out, give our Kindergartners a listening ear for all their fantastic stories. Teach 2nd graders new skills they’ll remember for the rest of their lives, and model for 5th graders how told hold onto their childhood. Remind our teenagers that though they’re growing older, and taking on more responsibilities than ever before, they’re still Children of Christ, worthy of the love and support of their congregation, with valuable contributions to make to our community as they cross the bridge from adolescence to adulthood.
One of the ways we can begin this walk as a congregation is by reorienting ourselves, asking what is most important to us and how we can best express God’s love to all people. I invite you to do that in the Sundays that follow by answering the 5 or so survey questions you’ll find in the Narthex over the next few weeks. Together, I hope to discover what draws families of all shapes and sizes to St. Columba’s, and what we as a congregation feel is important to maintain, do more of, or let go as we journey forward as a church community.
Walk the Way of Love this year, turn towards God with new determination to seek out his will; learn from the youngest among us how to wrestle with the big questions; pray for our children and the ways we as a church minister to them and their families; worship alongside these small but mighty members of our congregation, bless our families with relationship, prayer, and support, and help rest become a more attainable state for all of us as we minister together to these precious young souls.
The Lord be with you,
Elaine Ogden
Minister for Children, Youth, & Families
St. Columba’s Episcopal Church
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