From the Rector

Dear Friends in Christ,

One of the things I remember as a child is attending church with my grandmother. We didn’t have children’s church but sat with our families from as long as I can remember. Some of my earliest memories are of me sitting with her and participating in worship. I tried to follow along, stared at the stained glass windows, pondered the carvings and statues, listened to the choir, daydreamed, and learned the norms and customs.

Long before I could possibly understand the sermon, or all of the words we were singing, or the deepest meaning of every part of the service, I was learning that church was a place where I belonged and where people of all ages belonged. 

Seeing my grandmother reverently engaged in worship modeled for me, from a very young age, that what we were doing was important and holy, and that I was a part of it. I would not have had the opportunity for her to set this example for me if I had been excluded from corporate worship and siloed off into a worship service made only for children.

To put it simply, the liturgy is for all ages and when we include children in worship with us we model the rhythm of the worship service for them and demonstrate that the Eucharist is Christ's gift to all of the baptized, without any exclusion based on age or ability.

Long before our youngest children will understand every aspect of the liturgy, parents, family, and friends have the opportunity to model for them reverent and joyous engagement in corporate worship. But we can only do this if they are with us in church. 

This is why children of all ages are always welcome in the liturgy and it is especially important that they join us to be formed by the corporate worship of the church. Nursery care is still available for children, and even then we hope their parents will get them in time to see and participate in Holy Communion. 

Their joyous noises (and sometimes not so joyous noises) are most welcome as we gather at the altar as we are all made together the holy people of God—young and old alike. Let's all work together to do all that we can to help the children of this parish grow towards maturity in their faith.

In the weeks ahead, you will see more child acolytes, servers, and readers in addition to the children who sing so faithfully as part of the choir. They may make some mistakes or we might strain to hear them but it’s all part of being in community. These children take their participation and leadership in the service so seriously and it’s a joy to see them growing into their place as part of the whole community of faith. We will keep looking for ways for them to be involved in all aspects of worship.

From time to time, I get asked about “children's church.” I’d simply say this, the children already have church services to attend where they are fully welcome and fully included, and that is in the pews with all of us at any service. For example, our youngest has taken to the 7:45 service and wants to go to it each week. We’d hardly bill that as a “children’s service” but he thinks of it as his—and it is.

The wiggles, noises, smiles, and cries of children remind us that this locally gathered part of the Body of Christ is not dying but, by God's grace, is growing, and we are all richer for it when we worship all together as the whole holy people of God.

May God richly bless us all as we seek to grow deeper in our faith and participation in corporate worship in this new program year and may God give us all grace to see those younger than us and those older than us as beloved and valued members of the Body of Christ.

Yours in Christ,

—Fr Robert