November's Lundie Memorial Medal and financial award goes to our youngest recipient yet - five year old Noah Boyce. Noah was nominated by his minister, Revd David Yule of Christ Church Westgate, despite fears that Noah may be after his job! This is what David told us about Noah:
'Noah “Dad I have watched you doing the worship, can I do a service?”
Sam; “I’ll ask David”
David: (The minister? ) “Wow! What a wonderful idea! Ask him to go ahead!”
And so the 5 yr old son of our of our youth worker and technician was given the opportunity to lead a service.
Before the wretched covid outbreak he had been a faithful worshipper. That had begun at the very beginning of his life. Even before he can consciously remember, he has heard the words of our worship and scriptures and taken them into his deep into his heart, a heart uncorrupted by adult confusions and doubts, a heart connected to God in a way that most of us cannot now remember - just pure trust and belief. So, his approach to worship is simple, but deep, and it carries us who are ready to be led by him into the heart of God. That is what I believe and I want to give thanks to God for Noah and all those young people in our congregations who are trying to connect us with our Lord in these difficult times. Maybe, now more than ever, we need to hear their voices, be reminded of a faith that is uncontaminated by cynicism and doubt, by hopelessness and a sense of failure, and be spurred to worship and discipleship by our young people and for our young people. The present is shared, the future is theirs. So, I nominate the prophet Noah Boyce for his service to the Lord and his Church.'
Online service led by Noah can be viewed here
Noah also lead worship online on 22 November.
Noah also contributed to our online intergenerational worship for Education Sunday which can be viewed on our URC Children's and Youth Work YouTube channel.