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Children’s Sunday
This week we will be joining the ranks of other United Church congregations acknowledging Children’s Sunday. We are so delighted to have the return of children with us each Sunday morning. I’m also very grateful for Aleesha and her work with a variety of generations throughout her week. She reminds me of the importance of creating spaces for different generations to be together and learn from each other. There are many joys and benefits, but there are also challenges. If we are to mentor younger generations in the art of living our faith stories, we need to provide opportunities to be together. Let’s not forget, it’s not just about what we offer to the children, it’s also about what they offer to us.


My talking point this week has been about hope, and ties in well with our worship theme. I asked folks at On Tap, Coffee Zoom, and Lunch Study about how hope shows up differently for different generations. What do you think hope looks like for generations X, Y, and Z? Our conversations included acknowledging local and global events that have influenced the perspectives and realities of these generations. We also talked about what we hoped for through our own life stages.

These conversations are helpful for us as we turn our attention to the story of Hannah, Elkanah, and the birth of Samuel. In the Hebrew Scriptures, stories about the birth of someone important is usually both particular and universal. This is a story about the birth of hope for the next generations. It’s about the beginning of a major transition from the time of judges to the time of kings.

Considering the challenges the world faces right now; I find our ancient stories helpful as we try to put our worries and fears for the next generations into perspective. Yes, there is a lot going on right now, but let’s remember that every generation has had their own challenges to overcome. The role we have in mentoring our faith, is about passing on the hope. We believe in a divine presence that is with us always. We are not alone. We have never been alone. Therefore, we will continue to be held in God’s grace in the future.
Peace and joy,
Nancy