August 2007
Jesus said: “Let the children come to me . . .”
It is already time for us to turn our attention to the beginning of a new school year. No matter how old or how young, our whole lives have been shaped and molded around the school calendar. For example, summer is called the “vacation season,” even if you are retired and can go on vacation any time of the year. That is a habit from our school days.
As our children face the challenges of a new year, they will once again experience demands upon their time. As I listen to them and their parents talk about their week, I wonder where is there a moment in their lives for religious education and study? Our current society has clearly said that any religious, moral, or ethical teaching is to be done in the home and in the church, but when and how?
Fortunately, we at St. Theodore's value Christian Education and we are getting ready for our children, their parents and for every member of the parish religious education classes. No one retires from the need for study and service in their religious community. A hallmark of the Episcopal Church is our support for religious education for all people “from the cradle to the grave.” We can never learn all there is to know about our loving God and the ways we can gratefully express God's love through our lives and our ministries.
Our Christian Education program has chosen a sound curriculum for our children. Amy Guess, our director, has been busy recruiting teachers and we are getting ready to teach our children, which will ultimately help them to get to know Jesus and our entire sacred story. We will offer them the opportunities in the classroom of Godly Play, their own worship experience - Children's Chapel - and a wonderful children's interactive library.
Their parents can participate in our Godly Parenting class or one of the other Adult Christian Education experiences on Sunday morning and/or during the week. There are sound and vibrant Adult Education opportunities every Sunday and throughout the week at St. Theodore's. Come to our Rally Day on August 26 and learn about the many opportunities for adult study that are available!
I know that you would be disappointed if your doctor, dentist, lawyer, clergy, or other professionals in your life never went back to school to learn more about ways to better serve you. I cannot help but wonder if the people we are called to serve in our ministries don't have the same kinds of hopes for our laity as well. I wonder if they don't expect us to continually learn more and more about the Bible and our faith? We never can learn enough to retire from Christian Education nor can we be too busy to study. See you in class!
In Christ,
Fr. Ken †
