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Martha A. Hart, Deacon

O Lord of Light and source of all creation, we praise and glorify You for the children you have given us;
For their lies, their inquiring minds and receptive spirits; ;
For their health and growth; ;
For their beauty and innocence, their laughter and tears, their joyous ways that fill us with wonder and delight; ;
For their youthful vision by which You lead them trustingly into the future; ;
For Your constant protection which keeps them safe from harm; ;
For our children's growth in faith and their simple trust in You in these complex and troubled times; ;
For Your Spirit with them as they grow, guiding them in the ways of justice, righteousness and peace; ;
Accept our praise and thanksgiving, O God. ;
Excerpted from prayer, "A Litany for Children" in "Guide My Feet," by Marian Wright Edelman

October 21, 2001, marks the 10th year of the national observance of the Children's Sabbath, developed and sponsored by the Children's Defense Fund. This day, traditionally designated for the third Sunday in October, is an opportunity for people of all ages and faith traditions to celebrate all of the world's children, to raise awareness of the urgent needs of many of them and to generate new efforts to meet those needs, in both the provision of direct service to and by advocacy on their behalf.

Marian Wright Edelman has been the voice of advocacy for children for many years through the Children's Defense Fund which she founded in 1973. A private non-profit organization, it is supported by foundation and corporate grants and donations. Its mission phrase is to "Leave No Child Behind" and its purpose is to provide a strong and effective voice for all of America's children, focusing particularly on the needs of poor and minority children and those with disabilities. Examples of the life saving differences the CDF has made include making public school education available to children with disabilities, expanding Head Start, reducing child poverty, reducing death rates from guns, and making health insurance more available to children without it.

On the Children's Sabbath many faith communities across the country will unite to commemorate the day through prayer, education, and worship. In a recent letter to all parishes and clergy, our bishops, the Rt. Rev. Michael B. Curry and the Rt. Rev. J. Gary Gloster, asked all of us to participate -- through prayer and through using our gifts and resources to support service and advocacy for children, not only in our parish, but in our community. You may see on the parish bulletin boards copies of the Children's Charter for the church, developed by the national Episcopal Church; this brochure calls our attention to our children and reminds us of the many opportunities we have to be involved in their lives.

I invite everyone in the parish to the first annual Orange County Children's Sabbath Interfaith Service on October 21 at 3:30 p.m. at the Carrboro Century Center. This event is being sponsored by the Orange County Partnership for Young Children, the Smart Start agency, along with the Interfaith Council and Orange Congregations in Mission. As a partnership board member, I am delighted to have been involved in the service planning. We envision this as a joyous celebration of children that will reflect the diversity of our community as well as a time when we can consider ways to work together to strengthen our commitment to helping to meet the needs of many children and families.

As Bishops Curry and Gloster stated in their letter, "Children are our future!" Let us celebrate them in our lives and commemorate the Children's Sabbath October 21 at the interfaith service.

© 2001: Chapel of the Cross