“Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not stray from it.”

                                                                                                            Proverbs 22:6

I really dislike hearing the youth at our churches deemed “the church of tomorrow”. That disenfranchises them and negates all that they do as part of the church today.

Recently, a youth group member from our church, in his senior year at high school, texted me saying he had an idea. Awesome, let’s hear it. He said he saw three areas that were in need in our community because of the COVID-19 crisis. The first was morally supporting those on the front line: hospital staff, police officers, fire fighters, EMT’s, and the researchers looking for treatments, cures and vaccines. He recommended we start a letter-writing campaign. Write anonymous letters of thanks and send them to these people at the places where they work.

The next need he saw was at Allied Churches of Alamance County. While they are not housing anyone during the crisis, they continue to feed and support those without a permanent home and supply them with basic essentials. “Let’s gather whatever we can that people can use and get it to ACAC.”

The third thing that touched his heart were the children who are hospitalized during this time, who have little to no contact with family because of visitation restrictions. “Toys. Let’s get them some toys to play with.” 

“Can you help, Rev. Dan?” Can I help?! We put the information on our website and Facebook page, got it in our newsletter that goes out this week, and “robo-called” all our members. “Gonna have three bins in the Fellowship Hall”, we said. One each marked, “CARDS, ACAC, DUKE”. Drop your donations off there.”  Then we said we’d go through our outreach ministry to take financial donations, and this young man would go shopping for whatever we needed. He also said he’d sanitize every item that comes in before he delivers them.  And he said if you can’t get to church, he’d come to you.

I’m proud. And humbled. You see, most churches I’ve heard about have been concentrating on how to keep the budget in line and looking into technology to have services on-line. They’ve been worried about when we’ll be able to worship together again and keeping up the church property. And while the “church of today” has focused on internal issues and self-preservation . . . it is the “church of tomorrow” that has gone out and is BEING the church. Maybe our concern shouldn’t be for the church of tomorrow. They have their eyes on the prize and their focus is clear.

Thanks for what you’re doing, Carson.  All of us old-timers can take a lesson from you. The “church of tomorrow” is in fine hands, because you are already being the “church of today”.

“Father, Help us to remember that it is not age that defines our faith, but commitment to Your call and compassion. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.”

Grace,

Rev. Dan