Elizabeth Blondia| July 17, 2025

“Then little children were being brought to Him in order that He might lay his hands on them and pray. The Disciples spoke sternly to those who brought them; but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the Kingdom of Heaven belongs.” 

Matthew 19:13-14

When I was growing up, going to church was as much a part of my family’s routine as going to school – church on Sundays, choir practice on Wednesdays, week after week, year after year. Most of my childhood memories include fellow church families getting together for potlucks, picnics, Christmas caroling and once a year, our Happy Birthday to Jesus party. I had no idea at the time how important it was to me to be loved, nurtured and cared for by a church family. Perhaps you have similar memories from your own childhood. We, as the adults at Grace Church, are now in the position to provide those same memories and feelings of safety and love to the youth in our parish. Those of us who currently or have in the past worked with our Grace kids know what it feels like to share God’s love with them, whether it’s witnessing the quiet attention when the Godly Play story starts or listening to the birds laying on our backs in the Schubert’s garden at VBS or having a deep and meaningful conversation with a teenager in the Youth Group. We have all witnessed the wonder and joy the children have when they sing, play the bells, or run into the Parish Hall for coffee hour. They are as much a part of the life of Grace as any of us, maybe even more.

I especially enjoy it when, as the kids get older, they host coffee hour, become a lector, participate in the altar guild, volunteer in the food pantry, or serve communion. Their willingness to participate in the church in this way means they feel connected, they feel a sense of belonging and they feel they have something to contribute. Our church community provides a safe haven from the uncertainties of the outside world because our Grace kids know that they will be greeted with a smile when they walk in our red doors.

As an adult leading and participating in the Youth and Children Ministry, my goal is to give today’s kids the same sense of belonging that I had growing up in Trinity Church Marshall. My heart feels full every time I work with the kids upstairs. I feel God’s presence so profoundly and it feels like a gift. Ask anyone who has worked with our beloved Grace children and they will tell you about the palpable presence of the Holy Spirit. As we are reviving the Youth Group and looking at ways to include kids in the life of our parish, we are in need of volunteers to make it happen. If you have been looking for new paths to finding fulfillment in your church life, maybe working with youth and children is the way to do it. Think about the person from your childhood that made a difference in how you viewed yourself and learned to love God. We are blessed with a vibrant church community made even more special by the inclusion of our Grace kids.