RE Corner Spring 2010
Why?
Why do we come to church on Sunday mornings? Why do we bring our children to “Sunday School”? Why not just rest and relax on Sunday mornings? I mean, really, our children are busy all week long, they have campfire and scouts and soccer and music lessons and a million other things to occupy their days. And we adults who run them around all week long are tired! We’re exhausted! Church? It’s not really necessary. Our kids are probably getting all of this already, anyway. Let’s just go out for breakfast-go out of town-go visit friends. Let’s just NOT GO!
I understand the pressure of twenty-first century family life, I really do. I had three kids in five years! My partner and I are just now catching up on our sleep. If those crazy curfews for our teenagers would just let up we could count on a good 8 hours of sleep!
But I believe that we should all let something go to make room for church, yes for ourselves but especially if our lives involve children. Why?
Because going to church is necessary. There is no other place that your child will hear from a community as specifically and as powerfully: “We believe in people; every person every where all the time.” Or “Peace comes from justice, and this is how we create a just world….” Or “You matter, all the time, no matter what.”
At church your child will learn about values and ethics. We talk about who kids want to be when they grow up but we’re not talking about careers or education. We’re talking about who kids really want to become, and what it means. We talk about spirit and faith and hope. You do have to give up other things to have this church family. But it’s worth it, really it is.
I wish I could show you a magic picture of your family in 20 years. Belonging to a church in a way that is meaningful and real; doing good work for the church, staying late to clean up and coming early to set up and letting your child know what matters to you and showing them by doing it will make a difference in who they grow up to be. I promise. It will. Church helps us all get closer to who we are meant to be.
Blessings!
Kari Kopnick
Director of Religious Exploration
Westside Unitarian Universalist Congretation
2 comments:
Preach it, Sister Kari! I'm shouting "amen" from the gallery.
We were the only family in our little Fellowship to go every Sunday while my daughter was in high school. Every other family dropped out for one reason or another - mostly just laziness. Seriously, you can scoot out for one hour a week. Anyway it was important to us to continue to build the foundation while our daughter was still developing - remember they are not fully formed mentally until they are 25. We can't stop parenting them when they are teenagers - and they aren't in charge yet. Great post!
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