A Moment With Pastor Fred

Kids are gold. The future of HBC is in our children. A special thank you again to the Prices in organizing the children’s Christmas program, and their teaching in SS. A shout out to Julie Rizzardi on coordinating the nurseries and all who serve in that vital ministry. Thank you to Susan Froman with the kids’ choir practice. I loved the article by Megan Hill from The Gospel Coalition on ways to welcome kids in church. She writes:

“My kids decided they wanted to commit to our current church well before my husband and I did. On our first visit, our three young boys were met by teenagers who offered fist bumps, Sunday School teachers who introduced themselves with a smile  and a church elder who taught them the secrets of his signature sleight-of-hand trick. The church didn’t have children’s ministry staff or polished kids’ programs. What they did have was people who liked kids. And that was enough for my children.” 

HBC must be a place where little ones know they are welcomed and loved. Smile. Look at them in the eye. Give them a high five or fist bump. Stop and listen when they tell their stories. Say “see you next week.” Ask kids to help – a friend’s church has the children collect communion cups to throw away after the service. We need to notice our kids. Love them.

In these small ways – and many more, we honor the Lord Jesus, who welcomed little children, affirmed their value in his kingdom and commanded us to make it easy for them to come into his presence. Remember “having noisy children in the church is a far better sound than the sound of no children in the church.”