CCY Connect december 2023 EDITION

Fall is one of my favorite seasons of the year. The summer heat has finally diminished into cool, crisp mornings and mild days with light winds. The sunrises and sunsets tend to be a spectacular array of colors. Our trees and shrubs display beautiful foliage colors before appearing to go dormant. What I have learned about our trees and shrubs is that a combination of the shorter sunlight days and cool air temperatures, combined with warm soil, triggers them to spend less energy above the surface, dropping leaves, and concentrate below the surface to grow their root system, all in preparation for the cold winter and in anticipation of spring. Isn’t God’s creation amazing?

Learning that got me thinking about us.

As the days grow shorter and we find ourselves less active outside, what if we intentionally spent some time to grow deeper in the study of God’s word, preparing our hearts and minds for the tougher days of winter? If you are not already reading your Bible regularly or participating in a Bible study or Sunday school class, I encourage you to intentionally set aside some time to grow deeper in your faith.

We have many great resources available at CCY. In addition to the previously mentioned, we have a library filled with lots of great material. If you prefer online, CCY provides RightNow Media at www.ccyok.com/rightnowmedia with a vast array of study material for all ages. I encourage you to take the opportunity to take advantage of this season to grow deeper in your faith and walk with Jesus Christ in preparation for the celebration of His birth.

The sounds of laughter rings out down the hall, the happy chatter of children playing and talking as I move to and fro through my day. They run up to me and tell me all about the thing foremost in their mind at that moment. They reach up for hugs and high fives when I see them. Today the smell of banana muffins permeates the air. We made them together, the children excited to be helping measure, stir, and pour. Later they skip around with the enthusiasm that children have as we deliver the muffins to our pastors and tell them how much we appreciate them. After they depart for the day and a silence settles over the church I reflect on what it would be like without those children in the building we call our church. They are the sparkle here. Like a fine layer of glitter that catches the light. Without them the church would quite simply be lifeless and dying. As they are the hope of what is to come, what has yet to be.

God formed them and placed them in this time and in this place, for such a time as this. Our responsibility to see them, acknowledge them, teach and guide them, and embrace their presence in our congregation is very important. Jared S. Kennedy wrote a great article over the importance of children in the church. He says, “if we take the biblical record about children seriously, we must believe their presence in church is vital.” The bible tells us God’s view on children and of His enormous love and respect for them. Read Matthew 19:14 and Matthew 18:2-4 and in Matthew 18:10 Jesus tells us that the angels assigned to children in heaven have direct access to God. That amazes me that children are so important in the kingdom of heaven that angels assigned to watch over them are in direct contact with God. Paul mentions children in both Ephesians and Collosians when writing his letters to the Christians. Further emphasizing children’s roles in the church and within families.

Therefore , children’s ministry must be something we as a church deliberately focus on and prioritize. It can not be something we do just to occupy kids while their parents worship. “When church leaders are mindful of the next generation as they plan worship services and other events, and youngsters serve side-by-side with adults, the church benefits from their gifts, from the life and vibrancy of their youth, and from the reminder that christianity ultimately finds its shape in a dependent, childlike faith.” (www.researchLifeway.com) There is an extensive list as to why it is so beneficial to view children and children’s ministry as the vital life blood of our future as a church. It helps the church pass on its faith to the next generation, it helps bring new families to church, it helps train future church leaders, raises community awareness of church through special events, allows the church body to use their spiritual gifts and talents, provides senior adults with a chance to be spiritual grandparents, and gives opportunity for churches to cooperate with one another. These are awesome opportunities to tap into to further the future of Christ’s kingdom and bring hope to future generations. If we include children and youth in the life of our church we teach them the value of our church community at large.

Children’s ministry needs to be something we all participate in, someway and somehow. In examining ways we can do this let us be mindful that this doesn't always mean volunteering to lead a group of children but rather realizing by acknowledging their presence and importance at the youth level. Professor Robert J. Keeley describes in his book, Helping our Children Grow in Faith, a number of ways to include children in the life of a church fellowship. He says that simply giving children real jobs to do is one very practical way to go about this. Keeley states,

“ Children and young people should participate in the life of the church through authentic tasks,” he goes on to explain, “by authentic I mean tasks which they give as well as receive. They should feel that if they aren’t doing their part , the whole group will suffer.” I think it important to point out that Chap Clark and Kara Powell, Fuller Youth Institute leaders, discovered that the number one way churches made teens feel welcome was when the members of the congregation showed an interest in them. Going back to quote Keeley, “ It's when we individually take the time to get to know the kids in our church that we can have the most impact on them collectively.” So really it is very simple, serve in the children’s ministry, or give the kids some attention when you see them. Maybe get on the child’s level, learn their names, their interests, speak to them not just their parents, show them you care and they are valued.

Moving forward in 2024 I hope we can each make a commitment to the children of our congregation to be more involved in their lives. No matter if we are long past raising our own children or never have had children. Let's not miss the blessingGod has given us in the youngest of our parishioners. Let's make a long term investment in our church.