Hi Church,

Recently, a friend said, "I find it really fun to see my kids master these kinds of skills," referring to potty training, of all things! If you are like me, you might be surprised by her enthusiasm. But it got me thinking about how it can feel satisfying to pass on knowledge and skills to the next generation. And there can be even greater joy when you watch them teach those who come after them. Like watching a kid teach their younger sibling how to tie their shoes!

This year, our church-wide emphasis is Multiplying Matters. In order to explain this, I first want to share how we are defining multiplication. Multiplication is helping individuals and groups grow in lifestyles of worship, community, and mission in such a way that they help others grow in lifestyles of worship, community, and mission. We multiply when we pass along our faith, wisdom, and skills to the next generation so that they can pass them along to others as well. The good news is that we all can take part in multiplying. The high schoolers in our youth program are taking on some leadership and teaching of the middle schoolers! How cool!

With you on the journey,

Gaia Stanley, on Behalf of the Elder and Minister Team