Is there anything better than the aroma when someone else is cooking your supper? I think not! Yesterday afternoon I spent the time in my office and I couldn’t help but sniff the air every few minutes as the smell of pancakes on the griddle and sausages in the pan drifted up the stairs. When I finally got to the auditorium to satisfy my hunger that had grown over the afternoon I realized that there is something better than smelling dinner being prepared. It is watching the youth of our congregation fully engaged in the process of serving the adults. There were teenage boys flipping the pancakes and girls helping Janice and Jen dish up the sausages. The younger ones ferried the plates back and forth to the kitchen and poured the juice into the glasses.

It was a delight to watch but it also made me do some thinking about the preciousness of community. The church is one of the few places in our culture where intergenerational events happen on a regular basis. Our play of a couple of weeks ago, “Ernie’s Incredible Illucinations” was also an event that involved both young and ‘not-so-young’. At each of these I have been reminded once again of the value of spending time with people who are not of my generation. I love learning from, and being surprised by, people older than me and I am always renewed by time spent with those younger than me.

So, for yesterday, here’s to Jen and the youth of our congregation. Not only was it a highly successful pancake supper it was once again a time for young and old to congregate here at the church and just be together. Thanks for that!