One Generation

April 5, 2019

I think the people in my Dunkirk congregation would collectively give their right arms for what I witnessed this evening. All this week, over a hundred K-6th graders descended upon Park church for Spring Fling, our early bird version of Vacation Bible School. With a volunteer staff of nearly fifty, every nook and cranny of the building was full. At 5:30 we fed them all; hot dogs on Monday, chicken nuggets on Tuesday, Wednesday was toasted cheese, last night pancakes and sausage, and tonight spaghetti not only for the kids, but also for their parents. More than 300 people served in record time, followed by their closing program led by our teenage worship team “Faces.” 

Most churches I know in our area are almost devoid of young adults, teenagers, and kids. Tonight I am thankful to have witnessed the result of years of faithful ministry to young adults and kids. Two of my granddaughters have graduated from helping and leading at home, to attend college. But the gap has been filled by another granddaughter and a grandson, along with two of pastor Joe’s daughters, and four other teens. For a number of years now we’ve been teaching kids to lead worship through our School of the Arts (SOTA). Kids and now adults are learning guitar, keyboard, bass, drums, sound system, trumpet, soundboard technology, voice, and what leading worship is all about. That training is paying off as we see them picking up the torch and running with it.

It has been said that the church is always just one generation away from extinction. That may be so, but I can say quite joyfully that if it is true, I won’t live to see it. The next generation is not only alive and well, but is faithfully taking their place in a long line of faithful witnesses to the love of God, the salvation of the Cross of Christ, and the power of the Holy Spirit.