Our kids have started flocking to church again for Sunday night suppers, programs, mission projects and the joy that comes with being in a very good place with very good friends and mentors. Stop by the Youth Building late Sunday afternoon and experience the fun and faith for yourself. This is a tricky world to navigate at any age, much less at 16 or 17. Thank goodness the church is here to help point the way.

Now here’s my hope: That everyone in the church – from age 8 to 80, whether they have children in the program or their children are all grown up – embrace what we do with kids. Before we can embrace our youth ministry, though, we have to know about it, which leads to the conviction that should guide the telling of stories at every house of worship: We are a church of many ministries, but we are one church, serving God as one body.

I’m a bit of a stickler when it comes to this principle, both here at Myers Park United Methodist Church and whenever other churches seek my counsel on communications. There are many ways now to reach people with news and information, and we have to harness the most effective means possible depending on who we’re communicating with. If younger folks prefer e-mails and e-newsletters, then we reach them that way. If older folks still count on printed material, we give it to them. But unlike the secular (and troubled) newspaper, which can focus its resources on its Website even if it leaves some readers behind, the church has a moral obligation to reach every single person. No one can be left behind. We must use every platform possible to tell our stories.

But there’s a spiritual danger in communicating differently with different people: We can divide the body by special interests, unintentionally separate one group from another, creating a church of many small groups rather than a church of one body. In other words, unless we share news of our youth ministry (and senior adults ministry and so on) with the entire congregation – and unless church members of all ages embrace that news – we cannot appreciate all that we do at this place.

Thank goodness there’s a simple solution: At our church, it’s the Cornerstone newsletter, Intersection magazine and www.mpumc.org – where we tell all of our stories, where the seeker can find all the information and help he or she needs, where we can unite in affirmation of all that we do, together.

Our stories are too rich not to share with everybody.

If you’re free one Sunday evening, come by and see for yourself.