I was sitting with a bunch of middle school kids on the front steps of our church recently. It was a warm October night the week before Halloween and we had just finished our kick-off event for this age group, Club 68. As I laughed and hung out with these young teens, I remembered something my classmate Roger Viksnes had said to me back at seminary. We were talking about my call to serve as lead pastor at St Peter's. He had visited there years ago as part of a Hillcrest band trip and remembered the steps out front and how teens from the surrounding area liked to hang out there. He said he could picture me engaging these kids and just lov'in up on them, winning them over for Christ. Roger knew my heart for sharing the gospel and reaching the lost, especially kids. Upon arrival, it didn't seem that children's ministry would be a top priority-at first, there were only two kids!

The church leadership was looking for ways to reach out and make a difference in the community. Like all small churches we had limited resources both in manpower and giftedness. We knew we had to focus on reaching the people we could best relate to using the gifts He had blessed us with. That focus became young children and their families, and our programs and outreach events have focused on them in order to present them to the Lord. We have mostly just "loved up on them" with Christ's love and the promises of the Gospel. We've had great success as many families have responded. We started a Friday evening program called Kid's Café which continues to grow with new kids coming every week. We often have a better attendance on Friday evening then on Sunday morning! It's been a struggle to build bridges with the families to bring them to worship, but we've been patient and persistent. We have a monthly Family Café to include the parents and siblings and we have featured the kids in music and programs on Sunday to make connections.

By serving we have gained a reputation as a church that cares and makes a difference in young people's lives. We look for opportunities to come along side others and be a part of the community. This fall we participated in Faith in Action Sunday, canceling our morning worship so we could be the Church rather than go to church. One of the mission projects that day was to reclaim a flower garden that had gone to seed at the local Middle School. I attended a meeting of Parents Partnership (like the PTA) and met with the principal. This has led to an opportunity to make an impact in the community through service and positioned us to continue reaching teens at the school. We are becoming known as a loving, caring and concerned church.

It's great for me to see so many children sitting in the pews each Sunday. They fill the front when we have our Kid's Korner and put the adults to shame with their enthusiastic singing! We've stretched our resources to offer a program for middle school teens who have graduated from the Café. I look forward to going with them as they grow through the teen years and beyond. In these uncertain times they will know that they are not alone, God goes with them. I am thankful for the opportunity we have to guide them in the path of righteousness.

Pastor Bob Lawson serves St. Peter's Lutheran Brethren Church in North Tonawanda, New York

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