B is for Belonging
Parent’s Corner- “For the Kids!” Series
Parent’s Corner began as a communication tool to inform parents what had been taught in Children’s Sunday school classes on a given Sunday morning, providing passages to read together and discussion questions to facilitate conversation between parents and their children during the week. We have just finished Year 3 of our curriculum series. The decision has been made to press “pause” in our Children’s ministry classes before beginning again with Year 1. While we are paused, I will be changing the focus of Parent’s Corner from curriculum notes, to teachable moments.
“For the Kids!”
This collection of topical journal entries will focus on teachable moments that parents can have with their kids. They will be grounded in Scripture, seasoned by stories and experiences, and distributed with love and prayers for many sweet times together as a family. In an effort to be organized and purposeful, I’ll be choosing topics by going through the alphabet. As I write this, please know that I don’t claim to have all of the answers. Not at all! What I do have is a genuine desire to have a teachable spirit, and a heart for the precious kiddos in our body.
B is for Belonging
I have a son who runs on the cross-country team at his High School. He is included in the team because he wears the uniform and his name is on the coach’s list, but he belongs on the team because he finds encouragement and support from others and gives it right back to them in return as they run. He likes running by himself, but he enjoys running with his teammates even more.
This past week, he had his first race of the year. It was a hot day, but all of the runners were all very thankful to be running at all! After the race, he confirmed that he had not run the race he intended because his usual training group was not running with him. He still ran. He still finished, but not as well as he would have if he had been with them. He understands that he has better results and is more encouraged when he runs in community.
“But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” John 1:12
“For just as the body is one and has many members, and all members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.” 1 Corinthians 12:12
Kids, (and parents!), it is my prayer for you to know that you truly belong in our church body. You are not just included (having your name on a Sunday school list or just because your parents are there). You Belong!!! You are cherished members of our body. You are blessings from the Lord, and we are so thankful for the gift of you in our lives!
I’m not going to pretend this isn’t a hard season right now. We aren’t having Sunday school classes. We aren’t having AWANA in person at church. There are many elements of church life that you usually enjoy that we are going to have to wait for a little while longer. But that doesn’t mean that you have been forgotten! Do you know that the elders ask about YOU almost every time they talk to me? Do you know that your Sunday school teachers are praying for YOU and for the day when we can be back together again on a Sunday morning? Do you know that I pray for EACH OF YOU by name every week? Why do we do this? Because you belong, because we love you, and because we are a fuller and more complete church body because of you.
Once we know that we belong, what do we do with that? It shouldn’t just sit with us quietly. We should want to share it with others. We should want to encourage the other members of our “team” so we can all do our very best to glorify God in all we do.
“So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.” Galatians 6:10
Here are some ways to practice belonging this week. . .
1. Think back and remember you Sunday school teachers, AWANA leaders, and other adults who worked with you on Sunday mornings or Wednesday nights. Choose one person and let them know you are thinking about them. You could write a letter, draw a picture, stop and talk with them the next time you see them. . . be creative!
2. Think about the other kids who were in your Sunday school class or at your AWANA table. Do the same for them! Call them, send an email to their parents, arrange to get together and kick a soccer ball at the park.
3. As you start to see other people at church, look for the ones that you might not recognize. Find out their name and learn something about them. Remember their name and say hi the next time you see them! You want them to belong too.
4. Know that you belong! Know that you are loved, and know that you are missed!