August 2024
Dear Church Family,
In July I had the opportunity with my other job (at Ingalls Creek Enrichment Center) to teach Bible Stories to campers during a week long full day Day Camp. Kids who came ranged from 2nd grade to 6th grade - kind of a wide span to work with regarding how they learn. Similarly, they have any range of inputs around Christianity - some have mild exposure, some 10yr olds were quoting passages from memory to me! I kept thinking about how this group of kids mirror the reality of what the church is - each of us on our own journey of faith, operating at different levels of understanding, asking different questions, and ideally making room for one another as we learn what God is doing today.
I chose to teach one story each day, and many of the days I taught parables as Jesus did. Parables Jesus taught were short stories that come alongside our lives to give us insight into who God is, or what the kingdom of God is like. They didn’t necessarily give clarity and direction, but sparked the imagination around what God is like. Jesus shared these stories to wide audiences - Jews, the people who held the title of people of God, but who often struggled to fully grasp the bigger picture of God’s kingdom that Jesus was trying to paint. There were the disciples - those who lived with Jesus for his short term of active ministry, who were often confused by his teachings and needed further clarification. And then there were the masses - the thousands who listened, were fed in body and spirit by Christs’ presence and provision. Coming with nothing but hungry hearts, intrigued by the actions and teachings of this remarkable person.
The parable of the sower (Matthew 13, Luke 8, Mark 4) offers much to consider as Jesus offers a picture of the kingdom of God, and only offers a more in depth explanation to the disciples when they ask for a clearer understanding. One can guess his interpretation there is catered to the learning journey of the disciples who are with him every day, and really the parable he gives unexplained to the masses is entrusted to each person’s heart and the wisdom of the Holy Spirit. This stands true in giving these stories to kids as well. The format I used in telling this story is Godly Play - an intentional storytelling technique that encourages those participating to notice what is happening in every part of the story, to wonder together what God is like and what it may mean for our lives today. This method is all about cultivating holy curiosity in our kids, but really it does that work in those of us willing to practice curiosity. If you haven’t read this parable recently, I invite you to sit in it for a bit - making room for questions like, “I wonder if birds were happy to see the sower?”, “I wonder what the person was doing when the seeds struggled to grow among stones and thorns?”, or “I wonder what the sower used the harvest for?”.
Too often I find places of Christian representation shutting down curiosity and questions in favor of certainty, and honestly, pride. Doors close because faith communities draw stark lines rather than invite the questions and discernment in the guidance of the Holy Spirit. When Jesus talked about God, he told stories. He invited people into wonder and curiosity. He opened doors where the religious community had closed them. Our trust in God is not with platitudes of certainty, save for the conviction that the goodness of our God is bigger and greater than what we might ever imagine. Even salvation has more meaning in it than eternity in heaven. This is a space of mystery that can be difficult to live in, but it is richer by far, and can cultivate deeper community in the journey of faith.
May you go out and practice curiosity - as you read scripture, as you pray, as you engage with your community. May you seek God’s wisdom, and the active presence of the Holy Spirit, in every place that feels confusing so that you don’t have to have the answers but trust that God holds you and your loved ones amidst the storms of life.
Blessings,
Pastor Becca
