The Ministry of Infants

I would like to share one story of how an infant at has ministered to a congregation.

Christmas is perhaps the time of the year when the ministry done by children is most prominent and celebrated. Of course this makes a great deal of sense since one of the important messages of the birth of the Christ child is that even a fragile, newborn baby can work great wonders in the midst of a community.

Leading up to Christmas one year, many members of a particular congregation had this very experience. In October of that year, Chelsea and Kris, welcomed their new baby Connor into their family. Chelsea brought Connor to Church and weekly choir rehearsals since he was only a few weeks old.

So what does this have to do with children and ministry?

Connor's main activities included such things as eating, sleeping, learning and growing. When he interacted with others around him - whether they were his parents, adults or other children - he invited them into the world as he was seeing it. Those parts of our lives which we take for granted are new achievements and experiences for an infant and he reminded us that every part of life is filled with wonder.

Connor also reminded us of how fragile and precious each life is. We were reminded of how we need one another and how we have been helped and supported throughout our lives by many caring people along the way. Our interdependence as human beings and as part of God's creation is evident.

Connor was also able to help us all remember that God chose to share the experiences of human beings even as an infant when he came to live as one of us. As baby Jesus in that year's Pageant service, Connor, just by being there, in front of the congregation, sleeping soundly in a manger, brought a reality of the life of God into our midst that hadn't been a part of that service in past years. He did this in a way no prop or adult person can. He preached God's Word with his whole being and ministered to us in the process.

This is a unique ministry done by many children; a ministry of presence. Without children in our midst, we might forget that God lived among us as an infant, fragile, dependent on others and yet full of life and wonder.