Beloved Friends and Families with Kids,
This morning I was reading some of the resources I receive in my inbox each week, and an article from the Fuller Youth Institute caught my attention. Steve Argue offers two mantras for ministering to young people, the first being, "Don’t give them answers, receive their questions." It struck me that this idea is right in line with two of our core values as a community: curiosity and generosity. When I think about our ministry to young people, those values shape how we make space to learn with them. When kids and youth come to us with questions—deep questions about faith and life and hope and despair—we can easily try to offer an answer. But as Steve points out, the harder and deeper work is to receive their questions fully, to be curious about what is driving them, and to be humble and generous enough to offer something greater than our own sense of expertise or simplistic answers. I'm grateful that our community is one where our youth can show up fully and know that they belong. Thank you for continuing to receive their questions well. May we all—regardless of age—be brave enough to ask hard questions and to receive them from one another.
Kids Camp
We hope you saved the date for June 19-23 for our annual kids summer camp! We are focusing on all the ways that God has created us for light and goodness as we explore both literal and metaphorical light. Our summer camp is always an awesome time for our kids to get to know each other and other adults in their church family better. We invite members of our congregation to lead activities based on their own passions and expertise, and this year is going to be a blast! You can register your kids here. Please let me know if you have any questions or need help with registration. If you are an adult in our community and you want to help with any part of camp, let us know!
Youth Families, our summer camp is also a chance for our youth to serve and have fun together as camp leaders. Let us know if your youth is able to join us for the week or part of the week. We love hanging with our youth, kids, and adult volunteers!
New Access Points
Our new doors and access controls are up and running! Parents, if you still need to get set up on your phone, you can follow the steps below. If your activation link has expired, just email me and I will have a new one sent to you.
Please go here to download the app that works for your phone.
Keep an eye out for an email from ProdataKey Cloud Systems that will have an activation link. If you have the app and you press the link in the email, you should automatically be set up and ready to go. You'll need to enable Bluetooth on your phone for the system to work.
To enter the door, you just need to have the app open on your phone when you get close to the reader. The phone can remain in your purse or pocket; it just needs to be on your person. You'll hear a click and the door will be unlocked for you. That's it!
Please let me know if you have any questions, and send along any feedback as we try out this new system. We are so thankful to our Foundation and the Earle family for their generous support to make this happen, and to Dave Ekstrand for all his logistical help.
SUNDAY
KIDS
Our nursery room is open this Sunday for babies and toddlers four years old and under. Childcare will be open starting at 8:50 AM for those who are attending Sunday School before service.
Our kids five to ten years old will join us in the sanctuary for the start of worship and then be dismissed to head to their classrooms together. They can begin service with their families or sit with Pastor Mary and me in the front pews. We are excited to share more stories of Jesus and to work on a creative project for one of our congregants who is sick. We can't wait to see your precious kids!
Discussion Questions for the Table at Home:
How can creativity and art help us to love people well?
How can we love like Jesus and help one another when we can't "fix" everything?
YOUTH
We are excited to have our regular youth gathering after worship this week! Parents can pick up their kids at the park gate on Union Street at 1:30 PM.
Have a wonderful weekend, and thanks for being such a special community of families!
With deep affection for you,
Pastor Lindsay