Children and Youth are a vital part of our congregation. As a community we celebrate their lives from the very beginning. When babies are born and when children are adopted into families, we as a congregation bless them and we witness the parent(s) dedicating themselves to faithful nurture of the child’s spiritual life. When children are in second grade and becoming readers, we give them a copy of the Bible, the sacred texts that guide our life of faith, so they can begin to integrate the wisdom of scripture into their lives by their own reading. As third graders, children go through Worship Helpers training, learning how to be good worshippers and how to lead worship. They then serve as acolytes, bearing the flame to light the Christ candle that reminds us of the presence of the Holy in our midst and leading the congregation in praying the Psalms.
Our sixth and seventh graders participate in a Covenant Class during Lent each year, learning about the nature of covenants, our own church covenant, and the decision to become a covenant member of the congregation. They explore what it means to declare oneself to be a follower of Jesus, and how that decision works itself out in our lives. Often the young people decide to declare themselves publicly as followers of Jesus by being baptized.
Retreats provide our youth with opportunities to explore spiritual practices and to examine the intersection of sexuality, embodiment, and faith.
The children and youth look forward to summertime camp experiences. Children in grades 3-6 attend PASSPORTkids Camp each year. Our youth in grades 6-12 participate in Baptist Youth Camp, a coalition of youth and leaders from a dozen Alliance of Baptist and United Church of Christ congregations that come together each year for a week of learning and sharing in the mountains of North Carolina. These teenagers form relationships that extend into adulthood with friends from other progressive Baptist congregations.
At Glendale we value intergenerational relationships. Children, youth, and adults of all ages gather for an annual Great Glendale Getaway – a day of recreation at a local retreat center. The annual Pie Supper each February, the Ice Cream Supper each June, and a Holiday Drop-In during Advent bring all Glendalers together for fun and frivolity. Occasionally we enjoy a picnic at the lake or a local park. On any given Sunday morning, you’ll see children and adults interacting in the hallways, looking at books together in the church library, or sharing a meal during First Sunday Breakfast.