Dearly Beloved,
I am consistently amazed by our congregation's children, youth and young adults. I am amazed by their wisdom and poise, their curiosity and questions, their courage and compassion! And I'm always a little amazed that they want to be here and be part of us -- this quirky beloved community that we are.
I'm always a little amazed that this amazing young people want me to be their pastor and value the time I spend with them. After all, I'm not up on the latest technology or social media platform(s). I don't know what the latest thing to watch is or the latest online game to play. I don't know what music is popular (or popular again) -- unless Mya and Jeslyn clue me in. I'm not a child of the 60s, but I'm far more familiar with popular 60s music than anything one might call current.
If we're honest, as a congregation we don't tend towards "coolness" either. On Sunday morning, we're not performing. There are no flashy effects or lights and definitely no fog machine. The screens and online worship options are nice modernizing editions to our Sunday worship. At 38, I'm still at the younger end of our congregation.
And yet, cool or not, I watch us being a community where young people ENJOY being. I loved this about our congregation even before I got here. We have, for years now, had a core of children and youth who love this church and are, in turn, deeply loved by it. By us.
With Mary Gregory in the nursery, our littles love being here on Sunday morning. With Dana and Kim leading Children's Worship, our kids are engaging deeply with our holy stories and experiencing God's love. With Daniel and Sara ministering to our youth, and all of you welcoming them and making room for them to be exactly who they are, they are blossoming. Thriving. Sharing of themselves and their gifts.
This Sunday, we get a special dose of our children and youth. Sunday's worship has been planned and will be led by our youth. We'll have a chance to hear them reflect on community and gratitude. We'll get to hear about last year's mission trips. We'll get to celebrate their gifts of music, wisdom, and joy. What a gift!
Do you have a young person in your life who wonders what church is all about or is looking for a community where they might be able to bring their questions and the fullness of how they are? Do you know someone (probably not a young person) who is cynical about this upcoming generation and needs a dose of hope? Why not invite them to join us for our Youth Sunday worship this week?
In delight and deep gratitude,
Thandiwe
