On October 16, forty young people (and about seven adults) gathered in the art/teen room of St. Stephen’s to have our first Children’s Chapel of the school year.   Starting two years ago, Christian Education Coordinators at St. Stephen’s have helped design and carry out such service; these are times to come together for prayer, song, and Eucharist in ways that are completely youth-focused.  Middle schoolers serve as lectors and acolytes, younger children help lead songs, and the youngest ones have an opportunity to draw their prayers.

This Children’s Chapel was no different; there was full participation from young people of all ages. This even included the young daughter and son of At-Large City Councilor John Connolly, who happened to be visiting St. Stephen’s on this Sunday.  Youth came to understand the Gospel story from Matthew to “render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s” by passing around coins from around the world.  Coincidentally, Silvia got a coin from Cape Verde and shouted out “Hey, this coin is from MY country!”  Youth examined both sides of the coin in their hand, identifying Abraham Lincoln or Queen Elizabeth II as the equivalent of Caesar. Then, we talked about money and objects (such as X-Box) being what belongs to the world.  What belongs to God is each young person in the room who is a Child of God and is loved by God. We can return that love helping neighbors and forgiving annoying siblings.

Songs enthusiastically but perhaps not always harmoniously sung included “I Have Peace Like a River” and “Halle, Halle.” “Let the Little Children Come” was led by Sr. Julian and a crew of kids holding up lyric cue cards.

Prayers of the People were written or represented in crayon.  Some of the prayers raised up included:

  • Thanks for life, my family, and my food
  • Thanks for life and a home
  • Thank God for my mom
  • Thank you for Nature with a picture of a tree, bird, river, and a fox (or is a panther? Or a panda?)
  • Thanks for flowers and parks
  • Thank you for God for the fish
  • A drawing of a playground with no words

Then we all celebrated the Eucharist together, sharing prayers, and bread, and wine.  We concluded with the words of our closing prayer, “God, thank you for feeding us with holy food.  May we be nourished to live holy lives and to shine your light in the world.”  Amen!

Posted by the Reverend Liz Steinhauser, Priest Associate and Director of Youth Programs

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