So, when we think of the activities of ten to thirteen year olds what comes to mind? Snowboarding at this time of year, and video games, and, of course, group prayer. Please choose the least likely activity from this list.
You may not know that on most Sunday mornings a group of "tweens" meets for their Sunday School class, staffed in rotation by a couple of dedicated volunteers and Rev. Cathy. They have been considering many aspects of the Christian faith and one of their weekly activities is prayer, in which they are all invited to participate.
Cathy tells me that they are remarkably willing pray-ers and now that they have established a level of trust with one another they bring the "matters of the heart." When one girl's grandmother suffered a stroke the others prayed earnestly. When they found out that one of Cathy and John's dogs is seriously ill they not only prayed but have followed up with kind inquiries. She says that the earnestness of the prayers and the high level of compassion is quite touching.
John Westerhoff maintains that Christianity is caught as well as taught, and that along with Christian education we need to be involved in Christian formation. We shouldn't be surprised about this because these are good kids from good homes, but it is encouraging to know that when the door is opened they willingly walk through it. They are learning by example to care for their friends and to be in conversation with the God who wants to converse with them.
I have joked that some of us would rather bungee-jump from the balcony than pray in public because most United Church adults haven't had the practice of praying with others. Are you comfortable with praying openly? Are you teaching your children to pray? What do you think about this aspect of the TNT Sunday School class?
Many years ago there were a group of us that met in school once a week and prayed for staff memebers, students etc. In secondary schools there are Christian groups that students can join, and one evnet they hold yearly is, "meet you at the flag pole and pray". it is very impressive to drive up to a secondary school and see students around the flag pole praying.
ReplyDeleteI think it is wonderful that TNT are meeting and praying in this manner, how else do they learn to pray? maybe if some of us had had that open example we wouldn't be so "shy" about praying in public.
I had similar experiences during high school and at seminary I was part of a small group that met regularly for prayer. Another member was my predecessor at St. Paul's, Nancy Knox.
ReplyDeleteI commented to a group of colleagues recently that my experience of UCC folk is that they have deep faith, but it isn't readily expressed.
We have used the "talking stick" from Native tradition as our "ice breaker"with the tweens. Initially there were some painful silences, as we waited for a brave soul to pick it up and begin;today, they lunge for it. It is wonderful to see these kids finding a comfortable place within themselves, and within their community to take this "huge" risk of opening up. I look forward to the evolution of their prayers. It is a priviledge to peak into their young hearts.
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