Pastor’s Message, April 24, 2018

As you’ve been reading in the newsletter for the past few weeks, our annual Children’s Sabbath will be this Sunday, April 29. We’ll celebrate in one worship service at 11AM. There is only one thing that I don’t like about Children’s Sabbath: it only comes once a year!

However, we are constantly looking for new ways to involve the youth and children in leading worship. They’re reading Scripture and offering prayers, in addition to the duties of acolytes, crucifers, and 4th Sunday ushering. When I was recruiting assistants for the Holy Thursday service, I was so blessed when all the children replied, “yes.” And some children even approached me and asked if they could help. What a way to warm a pastor’s heart!

It would be easy for us to slip into a mindset that the worship hour on Sunday morning, especially on Children’s Sabbath, is a performance—that we gather to observe them for entertainment. But that is not at all what worship is. Worship begins when we come to God with the wonder, innocence, and expectancy of children. Of course, there will be joy and laughter alongside the reverence due to God’s name. We will gather on Sunday not to be entertained by children but to follow their lead in serving God.

This month’s lectionary texts have included passages from 1 John, and John frequently addresses his readers as “little children.” May we all know how loved we are as children of God as we seek not to be entertained in life but to expect eternal life as we worship our risen Lord!

all good things to each of you,

Pastor Darian

Posted in Pastor's Message.