 Children at worship -or, why we don’t send them away(Although we do let them wander into the nursery area if they want to play there.) St Alban’s Episcopal Church Bolivar, Missouri Sunday, March 13, 2022    Lindsey Walker comes up as soon as the Eucharistic Prayer begins – She is quiet, attentive and aware.Before Church Ezra Whatley showed me the page he was working on in his What We Do in Lent book…He wasn’t sure what a chasuble is – or why the altar frontal and vestments are purple. So I explained. Your children DO want to know – and they DO like to learn new words! I hope you are all using that booklet – There are some great bits in it. During the sermon I mentioned Herod the “fox” – and asked what that word means in our American culture – and Ezra, paying attention as always, said “Tricky.” Like sly -He’s right – but he was delighted and shocked to see that it didn’t mean that at all in Hebrew and Aramaic! Your children are paying attention – even when you think they’re just playing around. After Church he had another question. Apparently some evangelical kiddo at school had asked him what his “favorite thing” was – and he said, “My mom and dad.” The classmate retorted that it should be “God.” Ezra explained (to me – and perhaps to the child) that God isn’t a thing – and so can’t be a favorite thing.”He is absolutely correct.We had a great discussion about where God is, that there is nowhere God is not, and that sometimes people can be angry with God, or happy, or confused, but that nobody can call God a “thing.” Children are natural theologians. Listen to them. And don’t offer answers when they are working to articulate their own.  We had almost all the children back today – but Eve Woosley,who was adorable at the 3rd grade spring concert a couple of days ago was sick again.  Eleanor Williams is teething – a miserable things for babies – but she seems to like Olivia Cox, and Olivia adores her! Bishop’s Committee Today We need some concrete plans for the vegetable garden area in the next month or so – including cooler weather veggies as well as ones to plant later. We do NOT want all the responsibility to fall on Ryan Williams this year, since he is busy trying to complete his ordination-prep classes and working. We will schedule a garden-planning meeting soon, and ALL gardenersshould be ready to give their ideas and input about what to plant and where – that includes kids, of course. Finances are looking up. The COVID downturn seems to be leveling out as more people are able to participate in worship. People are using the online giving option. So if that’s more convenient than remembering a check, please feel free to use it. You will find the link on the St Albans website. It’s easy to set up. From the parochial report – Do you realize that fully 1/3 of our congregation is made up of kids under 16? That doesn’t even include the older teens – Sarah, and Olivia. Saturday Lenten craft/art offerings coming soon, including a day making those beautiful Ukrainian Easter eggs with our friend, Mary Egger. We will post those activites this week as soon as dates are firm. |
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