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An Easter tribute to William Sloane Coffin in his own words

[In Memoriam:  William Sloan Coffin

June 1, 1924 -- April 12, 2006]

Note:  Bill Coffin died four days before I delivered this tribute to him at the Presbyterian church.  It is a composite of his own words in sermons, books and interviews over the years -- g.a.w.

"To Bill with Great Love and Appreciation" -- Gary

"I am reminded of all the undergraduates I knew and loved, many now crowding sixty, even seventy.  Some of them have aged like vintage wine, heeding Albert Camus's wisdom:  'To grow old is to pass from passion to compassion.' 

A few of them, however, looking back on the springtime of their lives, say, 'Ah, those were the days!' --- and the worst of it is, they're right!   It was not the days, I suspect, but they who used to be better! 

You have to unlearn as well as learn, to clear away the weeds and thickets in order to see more clearly the various paths ahead.  [The same applies to our faith.]

Pastors, parents, and baptisms

What really happens in baptism?

Why don't we have godparents?

What does baptism mean for children born with birth defects?

Where does the water come from?

Why not wait until my child can decide for herself?

My spouse is not a church member, what do we do?

These are just a few of the questions I received when I surveyed pastors and educators in Presbyterian congregations in the United States and Canada as I prepared to write the book, "The Baptism of Your Child."

Many people raised the same issues, and, I suspect, some questions were given in the hope that I might provide a ready answer for parents. I found from my mini-survey that pastors have given a lot of thought to the meeting they have with parents before a child is baptized. I know from talking with parents over the years that many questions go unasked because parents are afraid to ask them.

Educational experiences for children: A model for a new generation

The Sunday School bulletin board quietly announces "Joseph: A Life of Changes" but down the hall there is nothing quiet about what the elementary children are doing!

In the Drama Room, three kindergarteners are dressed like Egyptian royalty while others, dressed like nomads, stand waiting for their bags to be filled with grain (or is that sand?). In the Art Room, excited first graders stare intently as oil-based paint, in a variety of colors, is swirled by a teacher who is telling the story of Joseph and how, like the paint, Joseph's life was constantly changing -- all under the direction of God's hand! Occasionally the teacher pauses to invite a child to lay a piece of paper on the paint and lift it gently so that everyone can marvel at the unique artwork with "oohs and ahhs." In the Theater Room, third graders settle into their seats, popcorn in hand, to view a popular video that follows the life of Joseph. In the Game Room, a group of eager fourth graders are wildly ringing their buzzers as they "chime in" with their answers in a rousing game of "Jeopardy" where the questions (in the form of answers of course) all come from the biblical account of Joseph's life. In another corner of the room stands a "Wheel of Fortune" board with this unit's memory verse waiting to be revealed. In the Kitchen, creative fifth grade "cooks" are stirring together their "Twelve Tribe Trail Mix" as they begin to learn about Joseph's family tree and the lineage it would foster. And in the Computer Room, sixth graders are navigating their way to Egypt using a computer game designed by one of the youth of the church.

At “Decade of the Child” midpoint, decline; new worship resources

The story of Jesus and the children is the passage often cited as one key biblical foundation for child advocacy. This is a story beloved by curriculum developers and by artists who illustrate Bible stories for children. There are many winsome paintings that depict beautiful laughing children, hair shining with cleanliness and spotless clothing. Such illustrations are attractive, but I've often wondered if we don't do an injustice to the power behind the narrative when we show the children in this way.

So I was struck with the way Joyce Ann Mercer explores that story in Mark's gospel. In her book, Welcoming the Children: A Theology of Childhood1, Mercer examines specific stories from Mark's gospel to address the question of how children appear in Mark's telling of the story. Child advocates most often use the story of Jesus welcoming the children from Matthew or Luke. But in focusing on Mark's account instead (Mark 10:13-16), Mercer helps us to examine the place of children in the context of a culture dominated by the oppressive rule of the Roman Empire. The farming peasant population of that time was crushed under the weight of economic privation. Family structures, and in particular women and children, were under enormous economic pressure. So it's likely that the children in Mark's account were street children who may have straggled after Jesus from place to place, children that Mercer calls "other people's children."

Addressing the “youth problem” in Presbyterian churches

The lack of youth in churches is a common lament. Many in our congregations complain that today's families don't emphasize church attendance, and they point to the 1960s as the beginning of the age of youth disinterest in church life. Clergy struggle to explain why the youth population has fled, pointing to parental laxness and competing cultural events. How many of you have heard -- or even expressed -- the following sentiment voiced by F. E. Clark, Pastor of the Williston Congregational Church in Portland, Maine:

We in this generation are just beginning to feel the evil effects of this loose family government and home training in regard to church-going. The generation immediately preceding ours slackened the reins, and the empty pews in many churches show that the young colts have run away. What shall we expect in the generation which is to follow ours, when, as in many cases, the reins have been thrown entirely away and the colts allowed to roam at their own sweet will? This, I say, ... is the great cause of the lack of attendance at our churches; and this cause, unless the evil is checked, will decimate our churches in the future.

Worshipping with children: More than a chore

Many congregations, pastors, and families struggle with decisions about children in worship. The questions, and sometimes the arguments, are fairly predictable:

Aren't they too young to get anything out of worship?

I'm on duty all day everyday. I want this time for me. 

We have to make it easy for young parents or they won't come to church at all.

Our pastor isn't very good with kids.

Nurturing the worship life of children is more than a chore; it is a holy responsibility and a joy!

Curriculum Resources

The following publishers provide a variety of age-appropriate curricula for use in churches:

Hands-On Bible Curriculum®

Hands-On Bible Curriculum uses everyday objects to help teach as Jesus taught. It's multi-sensory teaching tools and leader resources make preparation easier so teachers can focus on what really matters--the children. It was voted number one in a poll of children's education directors and Sunday school teachers for being: easiest to use, keeping children's attention, easiest to recruit, and most age-appropriate. Hands-On Bible Curriculum provides Teacher Guides and Learning Labs® for Toddlers - 2s through Grades 5 - 6 each quarter. They offer a free Hands-On Bible Sampler Kit that includes six lessons (toddlers - 6th grade); fun gizmos; six interactive teaching tools; a CD with eight songs and more. Their goal is to offer easy-to-use, impossible-to-forget lessons that last a lifetime.