This a great verse from Paul’s letter to Timothy. In it Paul is telling Timothy that, even though he is young, he has something valuable to give the church and that all people can learn from him. It is a challenge both to him (not to hide behind his youth) and to the church (not to pigeon hole him before they see who he is). We need to believe that it might be possible that the gospel explode into the lives of our young people and be prepared to let them teach us more of what God is like. Can you imagine what the church would look like if that happened?

I’m sure that, like me, you have been a guest in somebody’s house and have been invited to “make yourself at home”. What a fantastic offer to make, and yet that invitation could be interpreted in two or three different ways:

• it could mean that you can come in rearrange the furniture, redecorate and lay some laminate flooring
• it could mean, "Come in, have a shower, cook yourself a meal, help yourself to a bottle of wine, watch telly and put your feet up!"
• it could mean "do sit down, don’t make a mess, drink your tea carefully and use a coaster, don’t drop any crumbs – but please relax."

Young people are different to us older folk in many ways; not only in age, but styles, culture, music and art… but the call to discipleship is the same for them as it is for us. How do we invite young people to make themselves at home? If we are going to flourish as God wants us to we need to let young people be so “at home” with God that they might, if they need to, rearrange some of the furniture.

How do we respond to the challenge of having young people in our churches?
At St Mary Magdalen we are going to try to face that issue head on!

This is just to let you know that Junior Church, formerly SMUTS/Sunday School is now definitely Kid’s Church. The Leaders are Al Giles-Kaye, Sue Sparkes and Verity Dewing.