A Little Child Will Lead Them

At the Cathedral, we take seriously Jesus' many exhortations to look to children to lead the way to the Kingdom of God.

In keeping with those teachings, we believe that children are not merely subordinate to adults but sharers in the life of faith; that kids are not merely to be formed but to be imitated; that they are not merely ignorant, but capable of spiritual insight; that they are not "just" children, but representatives of Christ.

We believe Jesus invited the children to come to him not so he might initiate them into the adult realm, but so they might receive what is properly theirs--the Kingdom of God.

Twice each year, our children lead us through our primary worship service, Sunday at 10:15 am. This year, our Kids Lead Services will take place on:

October 9, 2011 and February 5, 2012

During these services, our Children's Chapel kids, aged 4 - 9, read the scripture appointed for that Sunday, lead the prayers of the people and help our youth minister preach an interactive sermon that they have prepared for during Children's Chapel. By giving our children this opportunity to take the reigns of liturgical leadership, our congregation helps to fulfill Isaiah's prophecy that "a little child shall lead them."

Each year, our children and youth also present two pageants that together tell the epic Biblical story from Creation to the Resurrection. Just before Christmas, we offer a Christmas Pageant--during which our children act out our scripture's account of Creation, the Abrahamic promise, the Exodus, the founding of the nation of Israel, the Babylonian invasion and ultimately the birth of Jesus. Then, early in the Easter Season, we offer an Easter Pageant--in which the kids perform the story of Jesus' life, death and resurrection.

Click here to view a video of the Cathedral's 2010 Christmas Pageant, performed as part of the Christmas Eve liturgy with The Rt. Rev. Dabney Smith, Bishop of the Diocese of Southwest Florida, presiding.