Thought for the Week

THE GEATEST joy and privilege I have in helping with ministry is being chaplain to Glenbarr and Rhunahaorine schools.

My monthly visits are things I so look forward to, and getting to know the children is such an enriching experience.

Through Messy Church I also get to know the parents and extended family and that is a real privilege.

To know the children from birth and see them grow brings so many blessings.

At the end of term assembly we gathered at A’Chleit church for our Easter service.

How lovely it was to see these young people in church and how very well behaved they were.

I am always impressed by the depth of questions from our young people. Even the very little ones have such searching minds and so many questions.

Sometimes it is more important to have the questions than the answers.

I often think of Jesus with the children and remember how angry he was with his disciples when they wanted to send the children away.

The disciples wanted the children to be quiet, to not bother Jesus – in fact, to be there under their conditions.

Jesus rejected this and he welcomed the children unconditionally.

I often hear people say that they wish children would come back to the church.

But are they welcomed when they do? Or are they invited with conditions attached?

If we want children in our churches we must extend a welcome to them and make a place for them.

There is a well known saying: ‘It takes a whole village to raise a child.’

Could our churches reclaim that privilege and be the villages children call home?