Last summer we sent out a letter to all of our fathers encouraging faithfulness in church attendance and as an example to their children who they are responsible for in the spiritual realm. I am not sure how many understood the importance of this.

I again would like to encourage our families to attend church and Sunday School. Especially fathers should be at the forefront in bringing their children and families to church to worship God. It is so very important. Over the years I have seen what can happen when children do not attend church and Sunday School. Time comes for confirmation and their parents bring them out of the sky blue. The first thing "little Johnny" does is ask "what for?" It usually does not last.

I have had children come to confirmation who were members of the church all their lives but they did not even know who Jesus was. The other day I asked what happened on Good Friday and some of the students did not know what happened on that day. At least one little girl said "something good". I wonder how many adults are reading this who do not know what happened on Good Friday if our children do not know by the 6th grade.

Anyway, again as I wrote last summer, our children’s spiritual life and in fact eternal well being is in our hands. None of us want our children to go to hell because we neglected their Christian education and worship of God in their church. I as one father sure don’t. Please come to church with your children and attend Sunday School with them. This life is not all there is. There is something more important to be faced in the future. My prayer is that we are all prepared. Some day we will be called one by one to the throne of God. Faith in the Lord Jesus who died and rose for us is all it takes. That comes through contact with God’s Word and Sacraments. In fact it is the only way we attain faith in Him. Word and Sacraments are found in our church’s worship services Sundays. Just having our names on the church roles means absolutely nothing.