Children's Ministries

The next two weeks St. Peter's is going to be all about its children and youth.  Beginning Monday, we'll host our first ever Vacation Bible School.  The theme is Galactic Blast, and though it may not seem obvious at first, there is a connection between outer space fun and Christianity.  Our Children and Youth Ministry Council has been hard at work planning and preparing for this event, and I know it will be fantastic.  It's not too late to register, if you know any kids between 3-12.

Then next week, five of our youth and two youth from neighboring churches will join Linda O'Neill and I on a pilgrimage to the Lakota region of South Dakota.  This pilgrimage is the climax of their two year "Journey to Adulthood" program.  They will spend time exploring the beautiful Badlands region, going for walks, preparing meals, have guided quiet time, and detaching from the crazy-paced world in order to grow closer to God.  I'm not sure that the youth were totally excited at first about a trip that required turning over their mp3 players and cell phones, but I think they're actually getting pretty excited now.  I hope you'll pray for them (and Linda and I) as they set on this holy journey.

It's exciting to be at a church that takes seriously the call to form and mentor our kids in the Christian faith.  It's exciting because it demonstrates a commitment to passing along what we have experienced.  That is to say, we don't share the saving story of our faith with kids so that they'll be good people, or learn morals, or grow up to be "nice."  We share "the hope that is within us," to quote the apostle Paul, because we yearn for our children to grow up to experience the same profound and transformative love of God that we have. 

We can't just pat ourselves on the back, though, and call it a day.  VBS and a youth pilgrimage, while signs that we're moving in the right direction, aren't ends in themselves.  We still need dedicated sponsors, mentors, and teachers.  There is work to be done, and that requires you.

So give thanks to God for the blessings bestowed upon our church, and ask for God's guidance, that we may always be a church that serves its kids and forms the next generation of saints.

See you Sunday.