Rector’s Note: Our kids are growing-8.6.26

As I was gathering data to help plan our programming for children, youth, and families this year, I found that we have 40 children in our parish from toddlers to 17-year-olds. That number has been growing gradually since I got here five years ago at the close of the COVID pandemic. Of those, about 16 are from preschoolers through grade five—eligible for our Godly Play for Everyone program. Another 21 are old enough to be in youth ministry, for kids in sixth grade and up.

That’s not counting the kids who are still finding their sea legs in our soft space.

Not every child who is on the books will be attending these programs, but it is a lovely picture of growth and potential and a call to be attentive to children’s changing needs.

This year our Godly Play program is expanding after long-time storyteller Laurel Mosteller retired this past spring.  Four new leaders just went through its formal training last weekend. Additional helpers, also called doorkeepers, are also on hand. We’ll be meeting next week to map out the year. This will be a transition for all, as new storytellers learn the ropes of a long-beloved curriculum. We welcome the input of parents and kids as we move along.

Our youth ministry for older children focuses on kids in grades 6 and up. We had a strong core group of middle school-aged kids last year for our Second Sunday Youth Ministry nights, with some supportive teens in the mix. Last year, we focused this program on service and community building. Once a month, the kids would gather to make a meal, invite a guest ministry leader to introduce their ministry, and do a service project associated with that ministry. Last year the kids learned about stewardship, made blankets for seafarers, did some self-care activities, made food collection boxes for the Food Cupboard, and held a food drive to benefit that ministry, as well. They also packed lots of containers with leftovers from their meals for the community fridge.

This year we plan to do it again with new service projects and opportunities for games and spiritual growth. We’ll end the summer and start the program year with a trip to the diocesan Youth Wild Adventure on Aug. 30 at Valley Forge Park. See the article elsewhere in this newsletter for more details on how to sign up.

Come 4^th Sunday will again return this year on the fourth Sunday of each month with opportunities for children to help proclaim scripture, lead prayer, bring up the gifts and get a closer look at the Eucharistic table.

As our parish children, youth and teens grow with us, we must continue to ask how we can best help them meet Jesus and bring Christ’s love to others as valued members of St. Peter’s. I invite your ideas, your gifts and your discernment as you consider your role in welcoming and supporting these little ones. It might start with learning a name and offering peace on Sunday. It might mean volunteering in a youth-related program or sharing a ministry with our teens.

And because in all things we are called to pray, I ask you to lift our youth in prayer. It’s a challenging world that they are navigating, in scary times. Knowing that they have a community that loves them and calls them by name is an important part of their spiritual development.