For Lindsay and me, the journey that led us to St. Thomas’ parish was a short one. We live a few blocks away, and we liked the idea of finding a neighborhood church that would give us the chance to develop a greater connection to our community. Our spiritual connection to St. Thomas’ is a more important aspect of our connection to this church, and not one of mere convenience, and this connection has grown beyond the music, fellowship, and worship that we share each Sunday.

Our daughter, Eleanor, was baptized a year ago in a beautiful celebration that included our families, many friends, and the bishop of New Hampshire, Gene Robinson.  In preparation for that celebration and our commitments to raise our daughter to know and love Christ, we had the chance to reflect on what kind of parents we wanted to be, and how we would fulfill our end of the baptismal bargain in raising our daughter. 

Moments for reflection are rare for the parents of toddler.  The phrase “the days are long and the years are short” is true on many levels, not least of which is the sleepless stupor that results from the seemingly endless string of long days.  In those moments of clarity as we prepared for Eleanor’s baptism, we agreed that St. Thomas’ was the right environment in which to raise our daughter. 

The St. Thomas’ community assembles each week to live out the radical hospitality of Jesus Christ.  This hospitality is extended to the children of St. Thomas’ with particular zeal.  During the dedication of the John Johnson Godly Play Room, John’s remarks about the need to embrace and educate our children were profoundly moving.  To paraphrase what John said, “There may be many evils, hatred, and injustices in the world, but our children will not learn those behaviors here.” 

Our daughter loves this place.  She asks, as you have likely heard, for more bread, or for cheese to go with her bread, after receiving communion.  She asks to come to church—not just on Sundays, but many other mornings, too.  And that, to me, is evidence that we can create a world fit for children.  St. Thomas is a living example of how that world might be created, as the baptismal covenant charges, to seek Christ in all persons, and respecting the dignity of every human being.  What a joy for us, and for her, that this is all she’s ever known.  And that is why we give.