For as long as I can remember, every Sunday morning I’ve gotten up, brushed my teeth, put my church clothes on and scrambled into the car with my family to go to Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church. My experience with the church has changed as I’ve gotten older. When I was younger, church was more formal. We’d start in the “big church,” as we called it, have a Children’s Moment, and then process down the aisle and into the Education Building. Church as a youth is more informal. We’re in the gym, and we clap, eat donuts, play games and participate in small group sessions. Even though the two programs are different, they each hold a special place in my heart because of the people and experiences I've had in them.
My little sister Bridget once said, “Church is like a family.” I completely agree with her wise words. Every time I have been at church, I have made a new connection. I’ve always had church friends. Every time I went to Wednesday Night Dinner, I’ve had a series of caring adults and younger people from the congregation ask me how I am and chat with me.
For me, growing up as a youth and a child in Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church has been a very warm experience. Even though the youth and the children’s program are both wonderful, it’s truly the people who seal the deal. Both programs would be soulless without the kind and committed friends and people who are in them. Wednesday Night Dinners are tasty, but without the people, it would not be worth going to them.
Growing up in Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church has been a very positive and big part of my life. The members of our church are the reason it’s so impactful and warm. This community allows me and other young people to grow in our faith in God and to learn how to be disciples of Christ. This church community is full of role models who have helped me be a better person. Without my church family, I wouldn’t be who I am today.
