"That's not fair!" How many times have we heard this out of the mouths of our children!?! This summer and early fall, we are exploring the idea of justice during the Spiritual Formation hour. You might think, "but justice is a big word for kids," or maybe "they are too young to talk about such difficult topics." While they might not always know what the word means, children naturally want things to be just and "fair." They want things to be right.
In the Old Testament, the idea of justice is not just about fair punishment, but instead caring for those who can't care for themselves. Then it goes even farther and looks to create a system that doesn't allow injustice to happen in the first place.
So, this summer and moving into the fall, we've been looking at Biblical examples of a world where all God's children are treated fairly and where children and other vulnerable people have a voice. We've been talking about ways that we can stand up for people in our own world!
We've been learning from Bible Stories and scriptures from all over the Bible. From Jesus' reading of Isaiah in Luke "to proclaim freedom for the prisoners, recovery of sight for the blind, and to set the oppressed free" to James' exhortation to show all people kindness, to the parable of the sheep and the goats that reminds us to take care of those who can't take care of themselves. We've been imagining a world where even children have a voice and can bravely speak up when we see unjust rules or people being hurt.
We've been playing and drawing and singing and reading books. It's been such a special time together to get to know these precious children. We'd love to have your children and grandchildren join us! If you aren't able to make it to church on Sunday morning, you are also welcome to join us by Zoom. See the window graphic for more information.