Carol and I are overjoyed to announce the birth of our grandson, Elijah Carl Alexander Hess, born on my birthday, September 17, at 7:02 a.m. in Fresno, CA. He was 7 lbs 10 oz, 20 inches long at birth. Baby and mother are doing fine. Having our second grandchild led me to ponder once again our Christian calling to welcome and nurture children, not just our own, but all children. In Mark 9:37 and 10:13-16 Jesus shocks his disciples by his welcoming attitude toward children. More than that, he uses children as examples to teach his grown disciples about the life of discipleship. You may not realize what a shocking and totally unexpected thing this was in the ancient world. What is it about children that makes them exemplars for how to enter the Kingdom of God? How can we welcome all children in Jesus’ name? Let’s think about this together this Sunday.
blessings, Ernie
To listen to my message, click on “What Is It About Children?”