Lent Day 18: bless

bless

Bread for those who are in need of nourishment! 

Diversity: It's the Individuals That Matter

I have been working at Dayton Avenue Presbyterian Church for a little over a month now. I love it! I love the people! I was told by Pastor David Stewart and the search committee that DAPC was a very diverse congregation and that the were diverse in many ways-racially, ethnically, educationally, and socioeconomically. I admit that when they told me this I thought to myself can a Presbyterian Church (USA) church really be that diverse? The statistics say that the PCUSA is predominantly caucasian, middle class, and highly educated. It is also true that all of the other congregations I have worked with or grew up in fit this image of the PCUSA. So, yes, I was skeptical that what they were telling me could really be true.

However, as I have come to know this congregation I am proud to say that it IS true! Each Sunday I come to work and worship I look around at the individuals sitting in the pews and smile. Yes, I smile because of the diversity I can see and that I can not see but know. Yet, I smile mostly because all of these people have stories to tell and stories to share with me and with one another (and I am looking forward to hearing their stories!). Diversity in a community of faith means nothing if the stories and lives of each individual member is not heard, honored, and respected. When this happens real community happens, transformation happens, and God smiles!

I smile because in many ways this congregation embodies what church is and can be. DAPC is a reflection of the culture of America and of St. Paul, MN. It is committed to caring for those who are with in the community of faith as well as those who live in the community where it is located.

Working with this diverse community is an exciting challenge for me. While I love the diversity, it is this same diversity that is forcing me to challenge my some of the stereotypes I did not realize I had about people. It is challenging me to think outside the box about Christian Education. It is challenging me to think about the fact that what I thought the future of Christian Education might look like may be realized in this setting much more quickly than I maybe I am ready for. In short it is challenging me to rethink what my ministry is in this particular community of faith called Dayton Avenue Presbyterian Church!

Christian Education as a Vital Ministry of a Congregation

You enter a congregation for their “Christian Education hour”. You might hear children singing, laughing, and talking. You smell bread baking and a smell you can’t quite define. You see beautiful banners, whimsical artwork, and adults walking a labyrinth. This is just a small sampling of the many aspects of Christian Education ministry. Each congregation’s Christian Education ministry looks different. Christian Education Ministry is not just for children. It is a vital multigenerational ministry within a congregation.

Christian Education Ministry can be defined in many ways. The Book of Order defines Christian Education (they use the term “nurture” instead of “education”) as “a process of bringing [people] to full maturity in Jesus Christ” (W-6.1003). I believe Christian Education can also be defined as any activity that enhances a persons understanding of their faith and helps them become more aware of The Holy (God) within and around them. As congregations and individuals we are called to worship God and serve God by serving others. Christian Education enhances, informs, supports, and shapes worship and mission and service in congregations and individuals. 

Through Christian Education ministries the people of God become more aware of The Holy within themselves. When they become more aware of God within them they become more fully engaged in worshiping God. Through Bible studies they learn about the ways God works in and through people and how God works within them for transformation. They learn about the how and why of worship. They are able to engage in worship in creative ways. Christian Education ministries are vital in shaping the worship life of a congregation.

“[Christian] nurture...[is] one way in which Christians minister to one another” (Book of Order W-6.1003). Christian Education ministries help people become aware of God around them. This awareness of God leads Christians to become more fully  engaged in ministries of pastoral care, mission, and service. They engage in activities that inform and transform their views of the world around them. They experience the transforming love of God and are called to share this love with all of Gods children. Christian Education ministries are vital in shaping the mission and service of a congregation. 

Ministries of Christian Education provide experiences that nurture our awareness of God within and around us. Christian Education ministries are embodied in many ways. They all look and feel different because each congregation has a different ethos. However, all ministries of Christian Education seek to enhance, inform, support, and shape individuals and congregations in the ministries of worship and service. Christian Education is a vital to the overall ministry of a congregation.

(Note: "The Book of Order" is the governing document for the Presbyterian Church U.S.A.)