By Jill Fandrich
A few short weeks ago, we celebrated the birth of Jesus. Three weeks later in church we skip ahead about 30 years in Jesus’ life to the stories of his baptism and the beginning of his ministry and teachings.
With the exception of one story in the Gospel of Luke about Jesus as a youth, there is very little in the bible about Jesus’ life between birth and adult. In the one story we have, Mary and Joseph go to the temple with Jesus and lose track of him for three days. When they finally find him, he is sitting with the priests, asking questions and learning about God.
So, Jesus goes from baby to man, with only reference to him as a precocious tween. But that one story gives us a picture of a youth with a voracious desire to learn about God and to ask questions about faith. In my experience working with youth at my church, it is a perfect illustration of faith development in children and youth.
I’m old enough to have grown up attending a traditional Sunday School every Sunday morning. We memorized bible passages and catechisms and learned the stories in the Old and New Testaments. Our teachers were loving, faithful members of our church, usually older women who cared enough to share their faith with children and youth.
When I joined Westminster Church in Auburn and became active in the church, I became one of those “older women” who taught Sunday School, especially when I had children of my own. I’ve taught all ages-- young children, middle school, teens, and adults. Unlike my childhood lessons, the classes I’ve taught were more about learning the foundational bible stories and applying them to our lives. Westminster is a church that “values questions as much as answers” and we try to nurture a culture which allows people to wrestle with faith within a supportive community. The most valuable aspects of Christian Education are building relationships rather than imparting knowledge.
Times have changed, and so has Christian Education. Regular church attendance has declined, and if it happens at all, it is intermittent rather than weekly. Covid shutdowns severely impacted Christian Education programs for many churches. While worship thrived online, children’s ministries struggled. Some families that were coming to church pre-Covid have not returned, while new families are discovering church to be important, providing a loving, supportive community during changing and turbulent times.
As a result, our congregation has changed. Denominational loyalty is not as important as it once was. Most of the newer members to our church did not grow up attending church, or they grew up in denominations other than Presbyterian. It is wonderful to welcome new people to our faith community, but it can’t be assumed that people “know the basics” that were commonplace in years gone by.
At Westminster, we are investing new energy into Christian Education and faith formation. We have a thriving Children’s Worship Center, which provides an age-appropriate worship experience for young children ages 3 years to 2nd grade. The Children’s Worship Center presents the Old and New Testament stories using wooden figures which help the children experience the stories in new ways. They learn to pray and to respond to the stories using art and sensory materials. Our Children’s Worship Center has been an important and cherished part of our ministry for over 20 years.
This year we have also introduced a new class for children in grades 3-6. Called “Worship & Wonder,” it introduces the children to the Old and New Testament stories as well as to why and how we worship. We have an enthusiastic and animated group of kids who participate in this class under the direction of a team of teachers.
Youth-- kids in grades 7-12-- gather for monthly Youth Nights with our new Children and Youth Ministry Director Noel Cregg. Noel is planning a variety of fun activities, which always have a faith component, on the third Sunday afternoon of each month. Youth are also regular participants in worship leadership, singing in choir, serving as liturgists, and sharing special music.
And because faith formation is a life-long endeavor, adults also gather for forums, special series, bible studies, and discussions.
Just as the boy Jesus sat with the priests to hear lessons and ask questions, so we do too. Our faith is formed through continual, active engagement to discern what we believe.
A few short weeks ago, we celebrated the birth of Jesus. Three weeks later in church we skip ahead about 30 years in Jesus’ life to the stories of his baptism and the beginning of his ministry and teachings.
With the exception of one story in the Gospel of Luke about Jesus as a youth, there is very little in the bible about Jesus’ life between birth and adult. In the one story we have, Mary and Joseph go to the temple with Jesus and lose track of him for three days. When they finally find him, he is sitting with the priests, asking questions and learning about God.
So, Jesus goes from baby to man, with only reference to him as a precocious tween. But that one story gives us a picture of a youth with a voracious desire to learn about God and to ask questions about faith. In my experience working with youth at my church, it is a perfect illustration of faith development in children and youth.
I’m old enough to have grown up attending a traditional Sunday School every Sunday morning. We memorized bible passages and catechisms and learned the stories in the Old and New Testaments. Our teachers were loving, faithful members of our church, usually older women who cared enough to share their faith with children and youth.
When I joined Westminster Church in Auburn and became active in the church, I became one of those “older women” who taught Sunday School, especially when I had children of my own. I’ve taught all ages-- young children, middle school, teens, and adults. Unlike my childhood lessons, the classes I’ve taught were more about learning the foundational bible stories and applying them to our lives. Westminster is a church that “values questions as much as answers” and we try to nurture a culture which allows people to wrestle with faith within a supportive community. The most valuable aspects of Christian Education are building relationships rather than imparting knowledge.
Times have changed, and so has Christian Education. Regular church attendance has declined, and if it happens at all, it is intermittent rather than weekly. Covid shutdowns severely impacted Christian Education programs for many churches. While worship thrived online, children’s ministries struggled. Some families that were coming to church pre-Covid have not returned, while new families are discovering church to be important, providing a loving, supportive community during changing and turbulent times.
As a result, our congregation has changed. Denominational loyalty is not as important as it once was. Most of the newer members to our church did not grow up attending church, or they grew up in denominations other than Presbyterian. It is wonderful to welcome new people to our faith community, but it can’t be assumed that people “know the basics” that were commonplace in years gone by.
At Westminster, we are investing new energy into Christian Education and faith formation. We have a thriving Children’s Worship Center, which provides an age-appropriate worship experience for young children ages 3 years to 2nd grade. The Children’s Worship Center presents the Old and New Testament stories using wooden figures which help the children experience the stories in new ways. They learn to pray and to respond to the stories using art and sensory materials. Our Children’s Worship Center has been an important and cherished part of our ministry for over 20 years.
This year we have also introduced a new class for children in grades 3-6. Called “Worship & Wonder,” it introduces the children to the Old and New Testament stories as well as to why and how we worship. We have an enthusiastic and animated group of kids who participate in this class under the direction of a team of teachers.
Youth-- kids in grades 7-12-- gather for monthly Youth Nights with our new Children and Youth Ministry Director Noel Cregg. Noel is planning a variety of fun activities, which always have a faith component, on the third Sunday afternoon of each month. Youth are also regular participants in worship leadership, singing in choir, serving as liturgists, and sharing special music.
And because faith formation is a life-long endeavor, adults also gather for forums, special series, bible studies, and discussions.
Just as the boy Jesus sat with the priests to hear lessons and ask questions, so we do too. Our faith is formed through continual, active engagement to discern what we believe.
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