As I said in my first up-front talk on Friday, one of the things that is a mystery to me is why so few people want to take part in children’s ministry, and why it’s so hard to find teachers when we have so many parents.
Sure, kids can be a bit intimidating as a group the first time you stand in front of them as their teacher, and they’ll never stop testing limits with you, but they’re pre-teens, for heaven’s sake. They tend to listen if they can tell you mean business.
While my wife and I don’t have kids of our own yet, because we’ve decided to wait a bit longer, we both care about bringing the kids in our kehilat up in the ways of the L-RD. That’s why I teach bar/bat mitzvah class and why she does praise and worship for the younger kids.
If we’re not parents and we see the need and fill it, how could a person who is a parent not want to be a part of their kids’ Shabbat School experience? Maybe they need a good liver cleanse?
If for no other reason, they should at least want to know what their kids are learning and make sure it’s consistent with the beliefs of their kehilat. Yet, as the old saying goes, what seems simple, isn’t.
One of the scary things about delivering a mini-sermon, as I did for the first time last Friday, is that afterward you can get a recording of yourself and, for the first time, have to hear what you sounded like to others. That, for me, was scarier than taking a diet pill without reading the label first.
My first impression of my own speaking voice is not great; I sound high-pitched and a bit nasal. That’s not as I’d prefer it, obviously. I’d like more of the bass in my voice to come across, and have a richer, fuller-sounding voice that sounds stronger.
But, my voice is my voice and I’m not sure there’s a whole lot to be done about it. I mean, much as hearing it is a bit annoying, I’m sure my reaction is one more of shock than of anything. When I was younger, back in high school, I sang with the baritones and basses, depending on the song. Now my voice sounds more like a high tenor.
Scary. But in terms of ministry relevance, probably a lot of fuss over nothing essential.
It came with little warning, little preparation time, and a whole lot sooner than I’d planned; but last Friday, I finally had a chance to go up in front of the congregation and give a short talk. I wouldn’t quite call it a full-blown sermon; I was given 5-10 minutes and ending up running over 13 minutes, but I did reference over half a dozen Torah and Brit haDasha sources, so it felt a bit like a sermon. Or at least close enough for horse shoes and hand grenades. Take a listen and decide for yourself.
Anyway, the initiation was thrilling and fortunately everone was very supportive and offering positive feedback. I have a lot of seeking God left to do, but at least now I have some confidence about my ability to produce and deliver something approaching a sermon.
Sure, it’s not the kind of achievement that merits renting Vegas hotels for a getaway after, but it is a big milestone nevertheless.
