Dear Rose Park,
Last week Friday, our beloved Jim Boeve fell on his bicycle and broke his ankle. His better half Vonnie is taking care of him and Jim is doing well in his recovery and if you’ve talked with him, then you know he’s certainly maintaining his sense of humor. When I told Simon and Winnie that Mr. Jim got hurt they were very concerned and immediately set out to make him ‘get-well soon’ cards.
Jim wasn’t able to attend worship this past Sunday, but during greeting time my heart filled with gratitude as I saw you surround Vonnie with hugs, care, and well-wishes. As I was about to invite everyone back and get ready for the sermon, I saw Sam bring Simon and Winnie over to Vonnie to deliver the cards before heading down to nursery. When worship was done and I got home, Sam relayed to me a conversation she had with Simon on the way home from church. Sitting in his car-seat, Simon asked Sam, “Mom, is that what Jesus would do?” Sam had to clarify, “what do you mean?” And Simon said, “Like giving the card to Mr. Jim. Is that what Jesus would do?” And with a big smile, Sam said, “Absolutely buddy. That’s exactly what Jesus would do.”
The next generation is watching and listening to us. They’re watching how we worship, how we prioritize our time and energy, how we use our resources, how we speak and listen to one another, and how we take care of each other. They’re looking to see how we follow Jesus in order to find a path forward, but they’re also in need of some encouragement.
When Paul wrote to the Thessalonians to, “encourage one another and build each other up” he wasn’t merely talking about conversations between adults. This idea of encouraging and building each other up spans across generations and families. So, imagine if Rose Park were the place where the next generation were empowered and encouraged in their faith by the previous generation. Imagine the impact on the next generation if we took the initiative to encourage them on an individual basis through a card or a thoughtful word. So, I’ll ask you: would you consider taking one of our young people under your wing to encourage them in their faith?
Because…isn’t that what Jesus would do?
Grace & Peace,
Pastor Mark
Photo by Edward Stark on Unsplash