“Children are _______”

 How would you fill in that blank?

Would you fill it in with a verse from the bible? From Psalms or Proverbs, perhpas?

Would you fill it in with a treasured family saying?

Or does a simple declarative statement say it all for you?

Or would it be a Whitney Houston song lyric that most comes to mind?

There are so many possibilities, how can you choose just one?

That odd-looking phrase, “Children Are _______” is also Pastor Dave’s sermon title for this Sunday, October 20th, because this Sunday is Woodridge UMC’s annual Children’s Sabbath celebration.

 What’s Children’s Sabbath again?

The Children’s Defense Fund sponsored the first National Children’s Sabbath in 1992. Since then, Children’s Sabbath has been and continues to be an important way for all kinds of people to offer a united moral witness for children that crosses all lines of geography, faith tradition, race, and ethnicity. The three main goals are to:

• Raise awareness of problems facing children and families in our nation (such as poverty, gun violence, and lack of health care).
• Explore the texts and teachings in religious traditions that call us to nurture and protect children with love and justice.
• Engage people of faith in immediate and long-term action to nurture, protect, and seek justice for children.

This year Luke 18:1-17 will be our guiding text. The way we decide to fill in that blank could very well determine how healthy and faithful we can be as a faith community. How might those familiar parables and stories help us fill in that blank?

Won’t you be part of this conversation this Sunday as we figure out our responses together?

RESPONSES:

"Straight from the mouths of children... opportunities & their future determined by many factors, including zip code.  Issues in developing countries also persist here: hunger, child labor for US/international companies, leadership since adults falter.  Always have room for growth  love." - Jane

"Cool to be reminded of how easy a life I have.  Also good to see babies - so sweet  & innocent - Thanks" - Anonymous

"Children are the future. Some, unfortunately, are struggling to realize their future -  hungry, in need, living in poverty.  We need to be like the widow knocking on the door of Congress to continue funding food & resources for our children in poverty." - Anonymous