“…like a little child…”
Mar 17th, 2008 by John
I can’t get over the joys of a small church. In the picture is Jessica who marched into the Sunday morning service with 7 other children waving palm branches as the congregation sang, “Crown Him with Many Crowns.” Little Trevor got tired and sat on the edge of the platform. Sam waved his palm branches in the faces of his friends, and Shelby, 11 and the oldest, kept an eye on Trevor as she joined the celebration.
Last Sunday I asked Jessica to read our morning Psalm (Ps 100). She was ready and she did well. She’s in pre-school. She made one sweet little mistake…”His love entires forever”…which endeared her to us all the more.
I remember Ray VanderLaan teaching about the Sabbath readings of Scripture in which the whole village shared on a rotating basis. When Psalm 100 was read, God sounded like Jessica. Some Sundays God sounds like Ray Minnema in his thick Dutch accent. Ray read Psalm 24 on Palm Sunday. When he finished, the whole congregation sat stunned by Ray’s passion and love for God and God’s Word.
Fellowship Covenant is a little church with a big, big heart.
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Thanks for sharing this. I really like it when kids read the bible in church, too. I think the adults should be more willing sometimes to let them too be part of the service.
I agree that children should be a bigger part of service. I went to my cousin’s church in Mississippi and to my embarassment Cyril who was 18 months wriggled from my grasp and ran to the front of the church, the dreadlocked pastor scooped him up and continued on with his sermon without missing a beat. I was so pleasantly surprised. I’ll never forget it.
John,
My parents are currently looking for a new church. The pastor at their former church just recently left, after being there 10+ years. My parents think its time for a change.
They plan to visit your church on the Sunday after Easter. Hoping they enjoy your unique community. I certainly enjoy reading about it!!
I’d e-mail you this, but I’m on my new laptop, and don’t have your e-mail address handy.
Feel free to drop me a line.
benkraker AT gmail dot com.
Danny,
I think the Lord is present in a unique way when children are included in the “big church” service.
Stephanie,
What a great story…what a neat pastor to do that.
Ben,
Wow. I feel honored that your folks would consider visiting Fellowship Covenant. I look forward to meeting them. We’ll keep in touch about their visit.
John
great story. Children reading scripture always gets me. There’s truth in that.
John, that’s wonderful writing. I love “hearing” God’s voice in Jessica’s and Ray’s.
Wes,
I am like you, “Children reading scripture always gets me. “
Kathy,
Thanks for stopping by and commenting. Your blog “beyond words(worth)” is quite a pletora of intriguing items. I enjoyed roaming around there. Both Jessica (6) and Ray (86) are blazing examples of the image of God in human beings.