Looking Up – Hope Kids Worship
Dear Hope Church,
What a wonder and privilege to worship our living God with people of different ages and stages, from the youngest to the oldest, and all in between! I had the joy to reconnect with one of my mentors recently while worshiping at the church where I grew up. It was amazing to introduce him to my wife and children and reflect back on the ways he spoke into my life, of the Scripture he had encouraged me to learn and meditate on including those words of King David, to pray boldly for our mighty Creator-Redeemer God to work in our lives. I think of my own “Mount Rushmore” God has provided in the godly men and women who pointed me to the cross and encouraged me to do the same for others. The hundreds and thousands of regular acts of faithfulness. The tapestry God has been weaving my whole life, the prayer warriors and teachers of Sunday School, the youth leaders who led Bible studies, those who showed up and shared the good news of Jesus in countless ways, who volunteered week after week at children’s church, who heard dozens upon dozens of memory verse recitations. Zooming out further, I began to reflect on the exciting work God is doing at Hope Presbyterian Church and the honor to likewise encourage youth and others at our church.
As our young family has grown and as we grow in grace at Hope, it is our joy to play a small part in enthusiastically teaching children a
bout our great God who created them and who loves them with an everlasting love. We have the opportunity to send our kids to Sunday School class and worship class knowing they will be engaged and loved and learn about Jesus’ love for them, about the Bible who tells them the greatest story ever told. Hope Children’s Worship is an exciting ministry on some Sunday mornings which incorporates songs and teaching. Children ages three through second grade are invited to meet as a large group together and sing upbeat songs about the Lord and to have fun. They are engaged in a group activity and then taught a lesson from the Bible. They are encouraged to creatively memorize the monthly Scripture verse. It is life-giving to play a part in this ministry, among other exciting ways God is at work in our church. Thank you so much for all who are a part of their cloud of witnesses and we count it a joy to be part of your families’, too.
And children’s ministry and interacting with young people isn’t just for the young (or young at heart!). It is vital both for children and those more chronologically gifted to teach and love one another. By God’s design, the grace-infused power of the local church helps us all become more like Jesus as we encourage one another, one Sunday at a time and each time we meet.
Gratefully,
Hugh Dowlen