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Dear Members and Friends, We should not need proof for this since it is clear in the Bible.  Training in our faith is essential for our children and grandchildren.  The Bible commands us to speak of these things over and again to our children, telling them the mighty acts of God and what all the symbols of our religion mean (read Deuteronomy 6 and Joshua 4). This is supported by a long term study by Hana Horwitz as published in the New York Times this week(March 15).  Following the school careers and life stability of some 3,300 young people over a long period of time the author discovered that those who were involved in church had higher grades in school and generally more stable and moral lives.  Horwitz points out that her subjects were all from working class blue collar families,  However she concludes that being involved in church life enabled them to have success rates similar to the children from more affluent families.        Should we be surprised by this?  Not at all.  In church our children have excellent role models.  They are more accountable to adults.  They are loved and cherished for who they are.  They have Jesus Christ in their hearts.  They read their Bibles and pray.  They receive extra Christian education.  All of these things help them in their lives.I am troubled by the decline of the church which predated the pandemic.  And here we have evidence not just that the church is shrinking, but a horrible foreboding for our society and culture as people turn away form the church of Jesus Christ. We have strong families in our church.  I just wish that families who have no time for the church would understand the price their children are paying for that rejection.  Our children here are blessed with a strong church. What can we do?  Invite people not involved in church to come out and join us and we can pray.  Prayer matters. Please pray with me.Lord, we lament the decline in the church.  You have made it clear in the Bible what happens when people turn their backs on you.  Help us to get the word out that following Jesus is not just one option among many, but a life and death matter.  Help us in the church to be welcoming and supportive and loving.  Please draw people to the church of your Son, our savior.  It is in his name we pray.  Amen.