Education Matters

In his sermon On the Education of Children, the founder of Methodism, John Wesley, had this to say, “If possible, teach them [children] the love of justice, and that in the least things as well as the greatest.”  Deep within the DNA of Shiloh United Methodist Church is an understanding that God has called us to educate, empower, and equip our children to be disciples of Jesus Christ who love justice, mercy and walk humbly with their God.  Not only do we have a number of educators within our pews, but we also have a real sense that education is part of the discipleship process, both Christian education and Academic education.  We believe it is part of our responsibility to ensure that each child in our church and communities has access to and opportunity for a good academic education.    This emphasis on education is a part of our Wesleyan DNA.   John Wesley and the many Methodist leaders after him founded schools, colleges, and other training institutions as a sign of God’s love and justice in the world.  
But our investment in children and youth is not limited to our Wesleyan heritage.  It’s ignited by the promises that we make at Baptism.  Each time a child is baptized, we promise to partner with the child’s parents to help their children became a disciple of Jesus Christ.  We not only make this promise to the child and the parent, but we also make this promise to God.  So what does our commitment to education look like at Shiloh?  Well, in Delhi we partner with the Delhi Middle School for our SURGE after hours program.  There are over on average 130 kids who come to a safe place to hang out, to eat pizza, to pray, and to be a part of a healthy environment.  Every year we pass out hundreds (2012 we passed out 780) of backpacks filled with school supplies at our Shiloh Festival in August (2013-August 3rd).  Then before school starts, we have a blessing of the backpacks where all of our kids bring their packs to worship be blessed for the school year.  This year it will be the weekend of September 7-8.  And finally, for our giving tree at Christmas we partner with C.O. Harrison Elementary School to provide Christmas gifts for families in our community.  These are just some of the ways we are partnering with our children and our schools.  In Price Hill, partnering with local educational institutions will be part of the norm! From dreams of GED classes to a Day Care, we are looking for ways to really invest in the education of children, teens and adults in the East Price Hill community.  Already we are partnered with BLOC ministries and have an after school program where over 15 kids come to be invested in.   
Education matters to God and it matters to us.  So this week we have an opportunity to prayerfully consider another opportunity for us to invest in education.  On Tuesday, May 7, those who live within the Oak Hills School system will be voting on a school levy.  Although not everyone who attends Delhi or Price Hill campus‘ live within the Oak Hill’s School District, I want us to encourage one another to pray.  Pray for the School Board and Leaders and pray for the voters.  These levies come up from time to time and whether we are in the Oak Hills District, Cincinnati Public, Three Rivers, other public School Districts or have children attending private schools, we need to lift each other up in prayer.  Education Matters.  So pray for our schools this week.  

Prayerfully, 

Pastor Rachel