BARBARA:

Last week at Time of Discovery, Doug asked the children how they know when someone loves them. They had many answers – one said, "when someone tells you they love you." Another said, "when someone gives you a hug," but the response that caught my attention the moment I heard it was this. "You know you are loved when someone pays attention to you." (repeat) I don’t know which child said it but it was an answer from the heart, so very true no matter what our age, whether it is love between spouses, parents and children, or good friends. A person can say they love you but if you feel ignored, if they don’t pay attention to you when you are bubbling over with an important story or when you are aching with sadness, if they look over you or around you and not into your eyes, then it feels as if their words of love are just for show. The words are hollow, empty of real meaning. But when they sincerely pay attention, then we feel affirmed. We feel significant to them. We feel loved.

In our Gospel story, the disciples were shocked to realize that Jesus was paying attention to them when they thought they were speaking to each other in secret. "What were you arguing about on the way?" Jesus asked them. Caught up short and feeling slightly ashamed, they couldn’t think of how to answer him. They didn’t want to admit that they were arguing about who was best, most important, who was greatest among them. Sensing their hesitation, Jesus sat down to teach them and gathered all twelve around him. This Gospel story is 2,000 years old but Jesus knew even then that people aren’t all auditory learners but learn in a variety of ways. He didn’t use a lot of words when teaching his disciples. He spoke with only two sentences but he incorporated a physical example in his lesson, a child, for those disciples who were visual learners. Then he demonstrated his lesson by taking the child in his arms and showed his love by welcoming that child, by paying attention to that child. "Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all." "Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me."

Paying attention to a child is a critically important way of welcoming God into our lives. At the same time, the child begins to know the welcoming of God’s love. That is the core of our Church School program here at Westminster. That is the highest priority. If a child experiences feeling welcomed, if a child feels that people pay attention to him or her, then they will understand on the heart level the meaning of God’s love. If they know they can count on that when they come in the front door of this church and when they participate in their classes, then they will have a grounding to understand the Bible stories as they hear them, talk about them, sing about them, draw pictures about them and relate them to their life experiences as they learn and grow.

Our beloved Lillian Verhalen believed this message in the core of her being and she helped us all remember and practice it. Tomorrow is the one-year anniversary of her death but we can feel her spirit is here with us this morning. Lillian taught our children and led the church school program during the early years of this congregation. The kids were always her deepest concern! She loved to tell them the Bible stories interpreted for their age levels and she wanted them to experience the meaning of the stories. She communicated that in her relationship with each and every child.

Do these words sound familiar? "We promise to share the good news of the Gospel with you and help you to study, know, love, and serve Jesus Christ." Each time we baptize a child, the elder leads us all in saying those words. "…help you to study, know, love and serve Jesus Christ." Can you imagine yourself for a few weeks sitting on the floor with our six-year-olds acting out the Noah’s Ark story or upstairs with our 5th graders listening to them tell you of their favorite character in the Prodigal Son story? A little scary maybe but they will love the fact that you know their names and pay attention to them when they talk. We have this morning two real live examples of teachers to share their experience with you. First, Carla Lantier….then Jim Gibbs.

CARLA LANTIER:

Good morning!  I am both proud AND amazed that I've been working with the children and youth of this church for 20 years.  For me, I immediately gravitated to the children of Westminster upon joining the church.  After all, I had been a teacher with early childhood education training.  As well, back then in the early '80s, I was the mom of two sons - a pre-teen and a challenging teen who ultimately became a youth deacon here.  So...children and youth are a natural magnet for ME...and I continue to answer Kelly's and Ann's call for future Sunday School opportunities.

Over these past 20 years here, I've taught with folks who have FAR different backgrounds than mine...lawyers, scientists, doctors, accountants, salespeople, bankers - the list could go on and on.  What I have observed is that THESE folks may be the BEST Christian educators ever!!  Their life experience and style weaves its way into their weekly lesson with our children.  The result: our young people learn far more than the Bible lessons - they also react to the teacher who models the Christian VALUES we hold so dearly - caring, honesty, humility, and SO many more.

I want to share a remembrance of one such teacher.  Back in the early '90s when Westminster offered summer Vacation Bible School, I asked Bob Clover, who is no longer alive, to help me for five mornings.  Bob was already retired, had served the church well in other capacities, and was an active choir member.  RELUCTANTLY, he agreed. He diligently prepared his lessons, SAILED through the week, and 'though very tired out at the end, Bob THANKED me profusely - saying he had been part of something so NEW to him and yet, so much FUN!

In closing, I have a memory that will always warm my heart. Many years ago, Trisha Leroy Smith (she was just Trisha Leroy then) was a regular Sunday School student of mine.  I watched her grow up in this church.  While she was in high school, she was asked to write a paper, choosing a woman with qualities she would like to emulate.  Trisha chose ME!!  I was so overwhelmed and so honored.  Later, she BECAME  a teacher, was married, and just last summer returned to Westminster with her husband and baby girl.  Trisha again honored me as the elder at her daughter's baptism.  These memories form a wonderful circle of life and love for me to hold dear.

I look out at all of you and I know there are "teachers" in you.  SHARE yourself with a Sunday School class - laugh with them, craft with them, and most of all, show by YOUR example that they are LOVED - by us, by you, and eternally by GOD.  Thank you so much.

JIM GIBBS:

I have been teaching Sunday School for about a year. I have taught third grade and middle school children. I want to tell you about my experience.

I agreed to undertake teaching Sunday School because I wanted to find a small way that I could contribute to this community in person. I wanted to do more than make a pledge of financial support. I was not ready to commit to be an elder, however. I enjoy spending time with young people so this seemed to fit.

I was concerned about my lack of qualifications. I was not raised in a church community. I am not schooled in the Bible; cannot knowingly quote any scripture. I was concerned that many parents would object to having their children instructed by a Biblical illiterate. After hearing these remarks they probably will be horrified at what I may be doing to their children. I gained valuable advice from Jane Huneke, who had taught middle school for years. Her advice was one word – "DONUTS". So armed with my dozen donuts and a bottle of fruit juice I plunged in. I am now reading the Bible ahead of each lesson. I rejoice when I get a little discussion going on an important topic of faith or morality. And I get to spend time with delightful young people who really keep me on my toes.

I find that what I am attempting is to use passages from the Bible to spark a discussion about how God is touching the lives of the people in the classroom. I try to ask lots of questions. If I attempt to give a lecture to the middle school class, they will tune me out in about 7 seconds. Third grade children need to work with their hands. I have all the material I need in the lesson plans and plenty of assistance from the church education staff so preparation is easy. There are also unexpected rewards. I learned that one young man from my class reported back to his mother that "Mr. Gibbs was actually funny. He doesn’t look like he would be funny!" I guess I passed the test.

BARBARA:

There are approximately 275 children and youth in this congregation. It is a relief that they all do not show up on the same Sunday. In the new members classes when people say what brought them to Westminster, the most frequently mentioned is the presence of children. That presence is a direct result of you loving the children and taking church school seriously. Forty-five volunteer teachers are recruited and trained each year by our part-time Christian Educators, Kelly Guyton and Ann White and our Director of Youth Ministry, Bethany Nelson. Each quarter the teachers change so the job is not overwhelming and so the children have the opportunity to learn from and become friends with a variety of adult church members in their classrooms. The program couldn’t happen without your participation. Each one of us has something different and special to offer these young people.

I invite you to give yourself a wonderful gift. Get to know a small group of children in our congregation and welcome them in Jesus’ name. They will learn the Bible stories and they will experience God’s love through you as you pay attention to them. The young child’s words are true no matter what our age. "You know you are loved when someone pays attention to you."