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This morning we celebrate our Church School – it’s teachers, kids and ministry.

It’s fun and important to have children and youth helping create and lead worship. I confess that it has been jarring to experience worship at CCC void of kids. I look out from the pulpit and see only adults. When the children and youth filed out after my first Sunday’s Children’s Time, I resisted shouting, "Wait! You older kids, STAY!! We need you here!"

There’s a cliché among youth ministers. "Every Sunday should be Youth Sunday." The point being that every Sunday in the sanctuary need to be older adults Sunday, young adults Sunday, middle age adults Sunday, children’s Sunday, and yes, crying babies and squirmy toddlers are welcome too! We gather as the family of God – complete with the family dynamics of different music preferences, standards of what constitutes "ready to go," how we like our bread, and just how long is an hour, anyway? Part of being family is learning to tolerate if not accept diversity while also sharing some common ground rules and ritual.

So here we are at the other end of the continuum. Kids are leading most of worship. At least the adults are present.

In the fall as we begin a new church year, you will notice a few changes. They reflect a desire not just on my part but several groups’ part to provide more communal worship opportunities for our children and youth. Junior and senior high youth will have Church School Sunday nights. We have essentially been doing this the last five years. Sunday mornings, junior and senior high youth will be with us, here. And guess what? They like that idea!!

This weekend’s retreat included our looking backward and forward regarding youth group identity and activities. I could hardly believe it when the kids said they wanted more opportunity for worship leadership!! I kid you not. This was totally their initiation. This minister who ministers with youth is euphoric. (I also recognize that what each of us may mean by worship and worship leadership may vary but hey – I am inheriting some amazing kids!)

Another addition beginning next fall is that Communion Sundays will be intergenerational Sundays. Children first grade and older will comprise our worshipping community for the entire service. We have much to learn from one another.

This morning we celebrate our Church School – it’s teachers, kids and ministry.

A fundamental method of passing along the faith is through story. Church School, Vacation Bible School, adult ed., service projects, trips for play and mission, … we use stories to teach lessons. Jesus was fond of telling stories.

Joshua and the Battle of Jericho is one such story. It has a great song, engaging action. For little people the message is that God makes seemingly impossible things happen. God is so powerful, walls come tumbling down. It’s a story about obedience. Do what God says and victory will be yours. For older children, part of the message is that God uses people that we discard. Rahab was a prostitute and she befriended the spies. She becomes part of the family tree of Jesus. For those having more critical thinking skills, this story is disturbing. God’s chosen people violently invade another land, kill every animal and person in Jericho (except Rahab’s family) and pronounce themselves the new occupiers and tenants. It begs the question, "God is on our side. Who’s on yours?" Does God take sides? High school and older folk can and do run with this discussion. Or what about the walls that need to come tumbling down? This week’s mourning the death of former President Reagan and today’s scripture have me musing over the infamous line, "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall." What are the many walls that need to tumble?

This is Christian education. Examining faith and life and making connections. I quote from a CE resource on my shelf. "Your Christian faith becomes a reality when the stories of the Bible and your personal experiences of God’s love and grace inspire you to love God and to trust God’s guidance as you make decisions about living each day."

This morning we celebrate our Church School – it’s teachers, kids and ministry.

Thank you Church School teachers and advisors, past, present and to come. Thank you for sharing life and faith with this community. The church couldn’t be the church without you.

Amen.