The Kingdom of Heaven is Children

A child asks an average of 447 questions a day
Be like a Child, Jesus says
They are the greatest in heaven
The wonderer
The messy, giggling leap-before-they-lookers

So many churches mourn
that they do not have children
But I do not see them attending sports games
or sponsoring tech and college scholarships
I don’t see churches at school plays
Why God?

If the kingdom of God is like childhood?
Why isn’t the church full of coloring
and children dancing down the aisles?
If the Kingdom of Heaven is children?

I got in so much trouble, Jesus, you know,
Because every time I got asked in an interview
how I would bring in young families
I would ask what the church was doing for the families…

Where do you children congregate,
if you’re a congregation?
I’d ask. Because if you’ve been on the floor with kiddos–
I don’t have to tell you, that is truly heaven.

You don’t have to be the greatest to be with kids
They don’t care if your are the best storyteller,
or the most beautiful person in the room
or if your the most famous
I’ll let you in on a secret, when you spend time with them
You are all of those things
That is how to get to paradise

Instead of asking who is the greatest
or how to get there, Jesus tells
us to spend time with our children
Not to ban books, not to change them
to love them and be more like them


How about that ?

Feel free to use/share/adapt with credit to Pastor Katy Stenta


Transfiguration, Feb 19

February 19
Transfiguration:
Matthew 16:24-17:8
Psalm 41:7-10
Suggested Micah 6:8 (again)
Psalm 46:10
The Kingdom of Heaven is Like God Shading Godself, for humans to perceive

Call to Worship
God calls us, the deep from the deep
God your magnificence is too great for us
God you are changed from glory, into glory
So you come to us, human, and walk with us
Teach us again, today
Come let us walk with God

Call to Confession: What is confession, but walking with God? Why don’t we let ourselves walk with God here. 

Confession: God we confess that we are overwhelmed by being human. How is it then can we take in your glory of divinity? We feel like we should respond. We feel like we need to do things or say things. And yet, sometimes, stillness is grace. Sometimes we need to just sit with our own humanity. Sometimes its ok to just try to get to know ourselves better, and to remind ourselves that getting to know ourselves is to get to know you. Let us allow ourselves to do that we pray. Amen. 

Assurance of Pardon: Be still, and know God is with your, today, tomorrow, everyday, and feel the good news: In Jesus Christ you are forgiven. 

Prayer of the Day/Dedication: May we walk into the world shaded by God, so that we might better be able to hear and understand the Good News God has for us today. Amen. 

light human figure shining down with glares and a dark cloud slightly obscuring it, giving the eyes some relief