Children’s Message, January 25, 2009

Well, here we are, Sunday Morning at Third Presbyterian Church! It is a good place to be. If it is your first time here, welcome. We are a nice place to worship. We have a beautiful sanctuary, nice ministers, fun Sunday school, and there are even treats after worship!

But, you might notice that some people are missing today. No bright red robes. No voices singing down to us from the back balcony. The Junior choir is missing! Except that they aren’t really. They are over at New Life Presbyterian Church just a few miles up the road at the corner of Monroe Avenue and Rosedale. Right about now, they are just finishing worship.

They’re missing from our community, but not from God’s community. This morning, people are, have or will be worshipping at the 71 churches in the Presbytery of Genesee Valley, the over 11 thousand Presbyterian churches, and over 350 thousand churches of all denominations in the United States. In the world this Sunday, millions are worshipping in churches all over the world--huge cathedrals, mud huts and every size building in between. But all around the world, Christians are worshipping the same God, and probably saying many of the same words and singing some of the same songs.

The Junior choir is missing from our community this morning, but they are with us in the huge community of Christians praising God this day. So we pray for New Life Presbyterian Church, and all the other churches who are worshipping this day.

Let’s pray:
Loving God
We thank you that we are all here
We pray for those who cannot be here today
We pray for all the other churches across the globe
As they worship and praise you. Amen.