This Week from Mitch

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

This Sunday is Youth Sunday. We will hear from our children's choir, which sounds amazing, and we will have a youth preacher, Campbell McKenzie, daughter of Genny and Chris McKenzie and pictured in this week's Three-Word Gospel. I love our youth and am proud that we can bring this tradition back to St. Martin's. The last youth preacher was Wallace Truluck, who preached using a video camera and an I-Phone just after the shutdown.

I want to take some time as we celebrate Youth Sunday to say thank you to our many, many youth volunteers. Thank you to our Godly Play teachers, Children's Chapel leaders, 4th and 5th grade Sunday school teachers, middle school and high school teachers, youth group volunteers, Royal School of Church Music volunteers, acolyte masters, and the many of you who work behind the scenes to ensure that we have a Christ-centered, safe, and fun environment for our youth. The youth are not the future of our church -- they are a part of our present. Their health, well being and involvement is integral to our collective health and well being as the body of Christ. Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me," and then he took them into his arms and blessed them.

I am thankful for our youth minister Alex Cato and her wife Jane. Alex's work and their collective presence in this church has been and will continue to be a blessing. I know that my children love them, from breakfasts at BoJangles to showing up at a track meet or cross country meet, Alex's presence has been felt. She builds and provides a place for our children to flourish in their faith. As our high schoolers prepare to embark on their trip to Spain, I marvel at the community that has been built and the bond our youth group has formed. I look forward to this Sunday's 10:30 service. I look forward to seeing you there and hearing from our youth.

In Christ,

Mitch+