The Sunday School Problem

The current Moderator, Lorna Hood, was visiting the Youth Assembly yesterday.* There she talked of young people being the church of today, not tomorrow, and also spoke how the church needs to make Sunday School interesting and relevant. To me, this is not earth shattering. I know I would have left church when I hit 12, 13, had it not been for the way church was done and that the young people were as much a part of the church as the elderly. After all, are we not supposed to be a community?

She also spoke about the right resources. I am all in favour of that, but think it begins with having the right people running the Sunday School? A few weeks ago, a friends went to the local church while on holiday. The children were invited to Sunday School. This did not tie in with the service, so what does that say about the children's importance in church? The theme was Jesus washing the feet of his disciples' feet. The children (who are deep thinkers) talked about the passage being about a willingness to serve others and that those who serve will be exalted. The Sunday School teacher told them they were wrong - that it was about doing jobs you wouldn't want to do if you are told. Then they were given colouring in to do (they are both in their early teens). Their parents were shocked and we talked about how it's important to have the right people leading the children. Also, what happened pretty much ticked the boxes for why children who may want to come to church leave, perhaps taking their families with them.

But how do we get the right people? Just asking for volunteers may not generate the 'right' people. Maybe churches need to pool resources (shock!). One thing I know from various experiences - make children and young people feel included and welcomed and valued. Treat them as people loved by God, as are the oldies. They, like most people, respond to that.

*Good to see how times have changed. Back when I was a delegate to the NYA (when it was still new) the mods did not attend and it didn't seem to be valued by the wider church.