Message from Gretchen Janes, Central Preschool Teacher

“I pray that you will understand how long and high and deep and wide the love of Jesus is.” Ephesians 3:17-18

I was raised by Midwestern, God-fearing parents who were in attendance every time the church doors were open, so naturally I attended traditional Sunday School every Sunday of my young life. I know many Sunday School songs and enjoy digging them up to pass on to my preschool class. Perhaps, you’ll recall this one:

Deep and wide, deep and wide.
There’s a fountain flowing deep and wide.
Deep and wide, deep and wide.
There’s a fountain flowing deep and wide.
(I know you want to do the motions!)

This is what I tell preschoolers when teaching them this song:

God’s love is like a fountain.
Fountains pour out cool water to drink when we are hot and tired.
Sometimes we feel tired inside us, in our spirits.
Our spirits can feel God’s love.
God’s love gives our spirits new energy like water gives our bodies new energy.
God’s love is deep and wide.
There is plenty for everyone.

So many of those Sunday School songs were teaching me a theology that I was in no way, shape or form comprehending at that time. But through the years I have learned over and over that God’s love is the greatest and it is plentiful!