My view
prophets had this problem and were able to overcome it. Thank you for the
good work you are doing. Linnea Miskowiec Roseville, Minn.
Too much to take
The moral and conservative values I learned growing up in a small Ohio congregation helped me grow up strong and to teach my kids the same. Imagine my disappointment as I open The Lutheran each month to see the progressive agenda of an immoral national government being adopted by my church. I keep hoping to see some church strategic common sense, but continue to be disappointed. Please discontinue my subscription. It only causes me to correlate that the worldly activities the Bible warns us against have infiltrated the leadership of this
organization. Tom Klingler Oakwood, Ohio
Pull together Congratulations on the January issue. What better way to start our 25th year? The article on the shrinking church (page 22) with its study guide fol- lowed by the story on interns (page 30) sounds like a plan. Most important, we have to admit there is a problem and we don’t have to look far to see we are not alone. Hopefully each congrega- tion will gain something by working
together to solve a common challenge. Richard Long Huron, Ohio
Send “Letters” to: Letters to the Editor, The Lutheran, 8765 W. Higgins Rd., Chicago, IL 60631-4183; fax: 773-380- 2409; email
lutheran@thelutheran.org. Please include your name, city and state. Your letter will be considered for publication unless you state otherwise. The Lutheran publishes letters representa- tive of those received on a given subject. Be brief and limit your letter to a single topic. Letters may be edited for space and clarity. Letters must be signed, but a re- quest for anonymity will be honored if the subject matter is personally sensitive.
“My view” submis- sions should be 400 words on a societal event or issue or on issues in the life of the ELCA. All submis- sions are subject to editing. Send to: “My view, ” The Lutheran, 8765 W. Higgins Rd., Chicago, IL 60631; email: lutheran@
thelutheran.org; fax: 773-380-2409.
Telyea is a pastor of St. Andrew Lutheran Church, Bellevue, Wash.
By Wesley C. Telyea
Keep kids in the pews Noise is the sound of growth
R
ecently St. Andrew Lutheran Church in Bellevue, Wash., went through the process of hiring a music director. During the search and selection process the music transition committee had the opportunity to get to know a few of the candidates. As part of this team I enjoyed seeing how potential
music directors would respond when I told them how much I love having kids in worship—and how I love it even more when I’m forced to preach louder because kids are making a little noise. Some people would politely smile and nod at my remarks, while others would give me a look of horror. So why do I feel this way? Is it because I’m the father of a young, active and glowingly vocal kid? Nope. I’ve actually always felt this way, and it’s for three important and pastoral reasons: • Children are the future of the church, and we must pass on our faith (see Hebrews 11 for an example). Let’s face it, if we don’t have kids in the pews, we have no rea- son to expect that they will magically flock to the church as teenagers. I know this might ruffle a few feathers, but the fact that a child is making some noise shouldn’t concern folks as much as a sanctuary that is silent. The noise our kids make is the sound of the church growing. We should celebrate this holy noise and be grateful that someone cared enough to pass the faith on to them. • Faith comes through what is heard (Romans 10:17). Paul is clear in his letter to the Romans: Faith comes through what is heard.
If we are not having our kids sit in worship, are we not robbing them of a chance to hear the good news? • When we baptize kids we promise to take them to worship. This is where it gets real. When these little ones were baptized, promises were made that they would be in worship, that they would be taught the Lord’s Prayer, the creeds and the Ten Com- mandments. We have to ask ourselves if we are living up to the promises that we made. Keeping kids in worship is important. These three
points just scratch the surface. My hope is that in read- ing this, you think about why keeping kids in worship is important to you too.
April 2013 49
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52