Warm greetings Benoni Baptist Church family,
You’ve likely seen the letters WWJD—What Would Jesus Do? In thinking about that, I’m reminded of Jesus’ words in the Gospel of Matthew, Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these (Matthew 19:14). God welcomes children of all ages into His presence, and so do we.
It brings me great joy to see so many young ones in our congregation—what a wonderful blessing! We are excited about the growth of our Sunday School, beginning right from the crèche. Of course, parents are encouraged to make their own decisions about whether to send their children to Sunday School—there is no pressure either way.
Starting in August, on Sundays when we have communion, Sunday School will recess for that day. This allows families to remain together and take part in the full service as one. We hope this will be an opportunity for parents to begin instilling in their children a love for being in church—a habit that can bless their future families as well.
We understand that little ones don’t always sit still for long—and that’s perfectly okay! Please know, you’re not alone in this. For our visitors and families who need it, a cry room is available should you need a quiet space to soothe your children. Our ushers will gladly assist you at the door. We also ask the congregation to be patient and gracious with our young families as we create space for everyone to worship together.
We’d also like to introduce a simple way to involve our children after communion. Once the elements have been shared, children who are keen will be invited to help collect the empty communion cups. With guidance from our ushers, they’ll go around with baskets. Parents and congregants, please help by passing cups to the ends of rows for easy collection. The children might be a bit wobbly on this new task at first—but it’s a beautiful way for them to stretch their legs, feel part of the service, and learn what it means to serve in church.
Your smiles, encouragement, and grace will make all the difference as they learn and grow in faith.
With love and thanks,
Debra Green
