What do Stepping Stones, faith, intelligence, and culture have to do with Living the Call?

The interplay of these factors was presented at the assembly of persons interested in young children. It was sponsored by the Mennonite Early Childhood Network through the generosity of Evelyn Rouner.

In the keynote address Sharon Davisson described how she nurtured the foundations of peace at Stepping Stones Preschool. She developed peaceful resolution skills by sharing power and responsibility through activities with children.

Because the church community of faith has a high regard for children, we are called to relate to them in the best way. Kathleen Roth outlined components which promote quality care for children.

"Not how smart you are, but how you're smart," Jo Ellyn Peterson asserted as she presented 8 1/2 intelligences currently identified which adults should value in each child.

The privilege of living in our consumer society challenges adults to raise children counter culturally. "The church should advocate for change," Leonor Kennel declared, "so children are not seduced to blindly follow the crowds."

What seemed like closed doors was an opening to a call to the ministry of child care, Maria Crockett, pastor of The House of Power, testified. Her congregation reaches out to families with limited resources providing safe, loving care for children in two centers.

Acknowledging convention planning for children, Susan Graber displayed samples of materials she used to translate convention themes into children's activities. The quality care provided incorporates peace themes, counter cultural experiences while appealing to multiple intelligences.

The holy calling to nurture young children in the faith while supporting their families stimulates parents, pastors, teachers, friends of young children to live worthy of that calling realizing children are the church of the future.