Dear Friends in Christ,

Where do kids belong at Grace Church?

One of my favorite memories from Shrine Mont last weekend was the bilingual eucharist at the Shrine.  Mother Emma began her homily by inviting all the children and teenagers to come forward.  All of a sudden, the front of the Shrine was full of wiggly toddlers and shy teenagers and every age in between.

We don’t often see the young people of Grace all in one place.  Where are they normally on a Sunday?

• We know that there are lots of children at Little Church, because Little Church is designed specifically for young children and their families.
• But there are also children at the 10:30 service, worshipping together in Children’s Chapel. And there are lots of teenagers at that service, too, serving as acolytes.  (And—soon—as lectors and eucharistic ministers.)
• There are both teenagers and children at the 8:45 La Gracia service, too, where the culture supports their full inclusion in the service.
• Sometimes, there are even children at the 5:00 service, reminding me that young people appreciate quiet contemplation, too.

So, where do kids belong?  It’s a trick question, of course.  Kids belong in all of these places.  And if you enjoy their presence—the particular joy and witness that children bring to our faith community—you can find them in all of these places.

I encourage you to come to one other place, too: Llamapalooza!  This coming Sunday, September 12, we celebrate the beginning of our program year from 9:30-10:30 in the amphitheater and playground.  No actual llamas—instead, this year, we have miniature highland cows.  (Did you even know those existed?)

Come celebrate one another and the way that all ages enrich our life together.

Yours in Christ,

Anne+