Minister's Musings

Many years ago, in that moment during worship where I get to speak directly to the children, I was talking about what it means to be beloved of God. We talked a little bit about the word, what it means in theory and in practice. We talked also about how sometimes the world sends the opposite message: “you are not enough” (usually followed by, “buy this product and then you will be, as long as you buy this other product etc.”). We considered together why it is important to know that we are beloved of God. And then I offered each child a blessing. I placed my hand on each child’s head in turn and said, “(Child’s name) you are beloved, a wonder to behold, and precious in God’s sight.

After the service one of the parents came to me and said, “As you were offering that blessing, I realized that I really needed you to say that to me too.” My heart broke. This person was/is a wonderful, gentle, compassionate individual. They cared deeply for their community and volunteered out of their compassion to help in the church and in the neighbourhood. And yet, this person felt, as so many of us do, that they were “not enough.”

So, I offered them the blessing too. We are all enough. We are all beloved. We are each an important part of the amazing kin’dom of God, here at St. Paul’s, in Midland, in our world. And so is everyone else.  

May God, who loves us from our borning cry, go with us.

May Jesus, who welcomes us into relationship, stay with us.

And may the Spirit’s persistent call for peace be with us.

This day. This week. And always. Amen.

(Blessing from a service for Children’s Sunday by Rev. Miriam Spies)

“Blessings to each one of you, We are all enough.”

– Rev. Kirsty –