**This week's enews is written by Blake Matthews, who has been leading our initial catechism class for these past two years. This Sunday the two year program is being completed. Coming in the fall COTC will be offering another curriculum class, also led by Blake, for 7th to 9th graders. More info to come, and a huge thank you to Blake.**

“The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb,
The leopard shall lie down with the young goat,
The calf and the young lion and the fatling together;
And a little child shall lead them.”

What a mystery it is that while we are busy preparing our children for the adult world, the scriptures teach us that actually it is children and the child-like who seem to be best equipped to enter the kingdom (Matthew 18).   And the imagery Isaiah uses in the above verses emphasizes this--a little child shall lead them!

This feels particularly relevant as our first Catechism cohort wraps up this week.  These young people stand at the edge of childhood and on the cusp of adulthood. Straightforward, child-like faith has carried them thus far.   We are marking the end of two years of the study of the teachings of the Anglican church regarding The Gospel, The Creeds, The Lord’s Prayer and The Ten Commandments.   They have been given what Paul, in his letter to the church in Corinth, calls “solid food”.  

I am praying that they don’t completely lose some aspects of that child-like faith--in fact, sometimes I wish I had more of it.  

It has been almost nine years now since I sat with Macey Garwood, Mike Field, and Blair Porter, making plans and casting vision for what would become “The Garden”.   The teenagers finishing catechism today were five or six years old then.  Something that I said during those days that has stuck with me and has become my constant prayer for the children of COTC--that they would surpass us in how fervently and steadfastly they follow Jesus.  

My prayer is that the cumulative effect of growing up at COTC will be that young people are undivided and unwavering in their allegiance to Jesus and His Kingdom.  The adult world for which we--parents, pastors, teachers, coaches, friends--are preparing them is full of competing values, empty pursuits, and constant distraction.   Pray with me that the children of Church of the Cross will grow strong in the faith and do good and beautiful things for the Kingdom.   And yes, pray that they surpass us in how fervently and steadfastly they follow Jesus.

Grace and peace,

Blake