Today we celebrated Children's Sunday, a chance to share with the whole congregation the story of our ministry with children, a ministry that mostly happens while adults are at worship in the sanctuary.  We sang songs suitable for children; we heard a story that seemed to be for children but had messages for adults, too; we honored the volunteers and staff who worked with the children and youth during the year just past. 

So what does the church that welcomes questions and skepticism do to educate children and youth?  There is no real dogma to teach them.  We have seven basic principles, "promises" that we make to one another and to the Great Reality in which we live, simple promises that provide an ethical structure for people's lives at whatever age.  And we have our commitment to helping one another both to search within and to use the tools of scientific inquiry to search everywhere for truth.  

Our early nineteenth-century spiritual ancestor, Rev. William Ellery Channing of Boston, wrote words that we read this morning about the aims of religious education:

"The great aim of religious instruction is not to stamp our minds upon the young, but to stir up their own...

 to prepare them for impartial, conscientious judging of whatever subjects may be offered for their decision...

Not to impose religion upon them in the form of arbitrary rules, but to awaken the conscience... 

To awaken the soul to excite and cherish spiritual life." 

And over the almost two centuries since Channing wrote and preached and taught, we have worked diligently to explore ways to create ways of education and worship for children and youth that nurture spiritual growth from seeds that are within them, helping them to be themselves more fully.  It is something to celebrate!

So to celebrate, at least today, we had ice cream and cake after the service. With lots of hugs and laughter.