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| Seeking and Finding"Ask and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened." - Luke 11:9-10 Dear Friends: I think we all look forward to that wonderful few minutes on Easter Sunday morning when the children are all running, toddling, or strolling around the church courtyard looking for hidden eggs. Some baskets quickly fill up. Other children are content with one brightly colored egg. The expressions on their faces vary from focused, to excited, to confused, to dreamy. Some children need a lot of help. Others don't seem to have any trouble. Still others are as happy to give eggs away as they are to find them. The Egg Hunt is an Easter highlight. But seeking and finding the treasures of faith is an activity that happens all year round, not just at Easter. For children, there are countless Bible stories, worship experiences, friendships, and understandings of God waiting to be discovered. And it is our joy, as adults, to make those discoveries possible. Church is a place for children to express, explore, and find ways of naming their spirituality. It's a place where adults understand the importance and value of passing faith on to the next generation. To my mind, no aspect of ministry is more important, more fun, or more rewarding than accompanying children on their journey of spiritual discovery. Children are so eager for love and insight that we adults can feel a great satisfaction when we help them find a connecting point with God and with the faith community. I am grateful for all of our Sunday school teachers, and I also think they are the luckiest people at church. They get to spend time with the children! Malea S. is the organizing force behind our Sunday School. She makes the schedule; every team teaches once each month, at one service only. She provides curriculum and keeps supplies on hand. She pairs volunteers with a teaching partner, and she holds training and strategy sessions at least twice a year. She herself teaches fairly often, and knows all the children. She leads us in celebrating the growth of the Sunday School, which during a recent 10:30 service included 14 children. Malea is eager to talk to any and all of you about serving as a teacher or assistant in the Sunday School. If she approaches you with the opportunity to be involved, I encourage you to give it your full consideration. If you have an interest in helping with Sunday School that Malea is not yet aware of, I encourage you to talk to her. We have a number of safety procedures in place for the protection of both children and adults. We are committed to sustaining a happy, healthy Sunday School, and to do that we need a lot of people to be involved. This Easter, as you witness the delight of the children, consider how you might be supportive of other moments of discovery throughout the year. May the joy of Christ's resurrection shine ever more brightly in your hearts. Together with you in ministry, Pastor April |
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