On Sunday mornings, Daniel Monday, 14, walks to church—often arriving before his family. He’s on a mission, after all. Daniel is an acolyte at St. Mark, Salina, Kan. That means he is responsible for lighting and extinguishing the altar candles for each worship service.

Acolyting is one way the youth of St. Mark can serve the Lord. And the congregation encourages that service. Jim Winterstein, pastor of St. Mark, explains: “The church is intergenerational. From early on, we invest the time to train them in the various ways they can be more than mere spectators but rather active participants in the life of the congregation.”

Daniel’s father, Andy, echoes that thought: “I’ve never thought of Sunday school, the children’s Christmas service, or acolyting as ways of involving youth so ‘they have something to do’ or so ‘they stay out of mischief.’ Worship and service have so much more meaning than that.”

Andy continues, “Wearing a robe like Pastor, lighting candles as worship preparation, and learning to walk to the altar with reverence all highlight our special gathering where God announces his peace and forgiveness.”

Walking in the footsteps of his brothers, Ben and Josiah, who also were acolytes at St. Mark, Daniel began his service as a kindergartner. His brother Ben was his mentor. Now, nine years later, Daniel is the head acolyte and mentors the younger ones.

That mentoring is important. “It’s super helpful to have an older set of hands making sure the correct robe is on properly and guiding the ‘snuffer.’ It’s not so much their size as it is their coordination,” says Daniel’s mother, Rachel.

Whether serving on his own or helping other acolytes, Daniel enjoys what he does. “I love being an acolyte because it allows me to serve God even though I haven’t been confirmed yet, which is when the men in our congregation start to do usher work. I think it has been a great way for me to prepare and ready myself for being an example for the younger ones and to make myself be on time to church.”