By The Reverend Christine V. Hides
There is much about this pandemic that is hard, even traumatic. For this reason, Children and Family Ministry offers a consistent and encouraging message of resurrection hope: God is with us, even in the hardest times. The following priorities, identified in this article from Mindshift, inform our ministry at a distance:
- Connection: faith is formed and lived out in community. Our primary goal is for children to know that their church family loves and cares for them. We are always connected in Christ, even during this time of physical distancing.
- Predictability: while home life looks very different from family to family, we are offering consistent weekly times to gather online that match closely the in person gathering times we have had this school year.
- Flexibility: we will err on the side of grace and the belief that everyone is doing their best! We continually adapt and improve our gatherings to meet the needs of children and families. Our online gatherings allow families to drop in as they are able.
- Empowerment: We value and honor each child’s feelings and suggest developmentally appropriate ways children can respond faithfully in this crisis.
As always, safety is our first priority. We require at least two adults present in every online meeting. Our meeting settings are continually monitored and reviewed by staff. If you have specific questions, please contact me and I will be happy to share offline.
May God grant you strength, wisdom and patience as you manage work and family. May connection and unexpected moments of joy sustain you. May God’s grace bring you deep peace.