Reflections for Youth - Passing it on
Who are some people in your family or your church family that have made an impression on you?
I am thinking about this question for two reasons. This week it's World Wide Communion Sunday and we are reading a passage from 2 Timothy in which Paul writes about remembering our role models and reminding us to pass on our faith to others.
World-Wide Communion Sunday means that churches all over the world celebrate the sacrament of communion all on the same day. Communion is one of the very special things we do in church to remember the time that Jesus broke bread and drank wine with his disciples. In our church, everyone in worship is invited to participate - no matter what their faith background. This can be somewhat radical for people from other denominations or faith traditions. In other churches, there are rules and procedures about when people are able and invited to take communion. In our denomination, the Presbyterian Church (USA), all those who have learned about communion and it's meaning are invited to participate.
I am thinking about my grandfather this week. He was a church pastor and a bunch of years ago my father passed down to me a huge box that contained many of his sermons and his home communion kit. The communion kit is a worn-out old block box that contains communion cups, a container for wine (or grape juice) and space to put the communion bread. When congregation members were sick or couldn't get to church for whatever reason- grandpa would pack up his kit and visit people in their homes to offer them communion. It's really in terrible shape and I like to think about how that's from all years that he shared communion with people. My grandpa passed down his faith to his children and grandchildren by taking us to church and always including us in his church community.
In this week's New Testament passage Paul is writing to Timothy about much the same thing.
Read 2 Timothy 1: 1-14
Paul, who is in prison, writes to Timothy and reminds him of his mother and grandmother who passed down their faith to him. He reminds him that it's now his turn to pass on the messages of Jesus and God's love to others.
Our Sunday school lesson for the week shares this quote from “Pastoral Perspective” by Olive Elaine Hinnant.
I am thinking about this question for two reasons. This week it's World Wide Communion Sunday and we are reading a passage from 2 Timothy in which Paul writes about remembering our role models and reminding us to pass on our faith to others.
World-Wide Communion Sunday means that churches all over the world celebrate the sacrament of communion all on the same day. Communion is one of the very special things we do in church to remember the time that Jesus broke bread and drank wine with his disciples. In our church, everyone in worship is invited to participate - no matter what their faith background. This can be somewhat radical for people from other denominations or faith traditions. In other churches, there are rules and procedures about when people are able and invited to take communion. In our denomination, the Presbyterian Church (USA), all those who have learned about communion and it's meaning are invited to participate.
I am thinking about my grandfather this week. He was a church pastor and a bunch of years ago my father passed down to me a huge box that contained many of his sermons and his home communion kit. The communion kit is a worn-out old block box that contains communion cups, a container for wine (or grape juice) and space to put the communion bread. When congregation members were sick or couldn't get to church for whatever reason- grandpa would pack up his kit and visit people in their homes to offer them communion. It's really in terrible shape and I like to think about how that's from all years that he shared communion with people. My grandpa passed down his faith to his children and grandchildren by taking us to church and always including us in his church community. In this week's New Testament passage Paul is writing to Timothy about much the same thing.
Read 2 Timothy 1: 1-14
Paul, who is in prison, writes to Timothy and reminds him of his mother and grandmother who passed down their faith to him. He reminds him that it's now his turn to pass on the messages of Jesus and God's love to others.
Our Sunday school lesson for the week shares this quote from “Pastoral Perspective” by Olive Elaine Hinnant.
"Paul’s fear that Timothy will be ashamed and not tell others of his faith reminds us that this good news is always one generation away from extinction. If one generation becomes ashamed of the gospel and does not risk testimony, how will the next generation know? This seems to be the ultimate concern here; at the end of his life, Paul needs Timothy to carry on for him. Churches take this responsibility seriously when we provide Christian education classes to pass along knowledge of the Scriptures and faith to all ages."Questions to think about this week:
- Who is someone that has inspired you, made an impression on you, or nurtured you in your faith? If you can't think of anyone - who is someone that you would like to get to know?
- In the scripture passage, Paul tells Timothy not to be afraid to testify about God. How would you describe your beliefs and feelings about God to others? In what ways can you share with others how you experience God in your life and in the world?
- How do you already share your faith with younger people? What are some ways you can be a mentor to someone else?
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