4 Maccabees 13:21-26  From such embraces brotherly-loving souls are nourished;  ²² and they grow stronger from this common nurture and daily companionship, and from both general education and our discipline in the law of God.  ²³ Therefore, when sympathy and brotherly affection had been so established, the brothers were the more sympathetic to one another.  ²⁴ Since they had been educated by the same law and trained in the same virtues and brought up in right living, they loved one another all the more.  ²⁵ A common zeal for nobility strengthened their goodwill toward one another, and their concord,  ²⁶ because they could make their brotherly love more fervent with the aid of their religion.

            There is something going on at SoG that we need to talk about.  So, I hope this devotion is a place where we can begin what needs to be a very open discussion about how we as a congregation want to move forward.  The issue at hand is Sunday School attendance.  I am at a little bit of a loss, mainly because I don’t understand why people don’t come to Sunday School.  Perhaps I grew up in a different situation or with a different understanding about Sunday School.  For me, it is not a choice, it is not an option.  It is instead something you do, much like going to church every Sunday.  Sunday School gives the opportunity to learn MORE and to ask questions and to hear from your peers.  It is, therefore, just as valuable to me as worship on Sunday morning.  In a way, it can even be said that it is more valuable, because you get to participate as much or as little as you want.  You get to ask questions, and you get various answers.  To me, all that is great, and should be shared with more people. 

            So, what is it that makes you not come to Sunday School (if you are a part of the roughly 80% of the congregation that doesn’t come)?  I personally have heard every excuse in the book, such as “it’s too early, Sunday is my day to sleep in, it takes too long to drive, I have to get everyone ready, and the material is boring.”  For each of these excuses, an opposite solution can be given. Excuses are easy.  A relationship with God is not. 

Yesterday, Carrie and I sat at a table waiting until almost 9:45 before someone showed up for Sunday School.  9:45!!!  Our sign out front says in big blue letters “SUNDAY SCHOOL 9:30”.  If you were driving by, saw that sign, and an empty parking lot, what would you think?  I would think it was not a very active church, and would probably keep on driving.  I have heard several people at the church say “we want something for our kids”, yet two things have to happen.  A) The parents have to bring the kids, and B) people in the congregation need to be willing to teach the kids (i.e. it’s not just the parent’s responsibility!)  I remind you to look over the baptismal service and the promises that you as a congregation make.  Christian Education is a communal event.  Furthermore, studies have shown that the fastest growing congregations in the USA are not doing so because of worship, but instead of small group activities, such as women’s group, men’s group, Bible Study, and Sunday School.  Churches that have very active small groups grow the fastest.  Now we do some of that well, Bible Study has had attendance pick up.  The Women’s fellowship is still the largest and most active group within the church.  Men’s group is getting restarted.  However, none of those groups meet every week at the same time.  None of those groups are as visible to the community as Sunday School.

I will get off my soapbox now, and I will also remind you again, Sunday School is very important and we need to take it seriously.  Thank you to those of you that do come to Sunday School.  I find that it is not so much the material that makes the class interesting, but is instead our conversation that we have with each other regarding our everyday lives.

In our prayers this week:  Ann, Gail H., Jane

God’s Peace,