But my longing is to narrow the longer list of values to a shorter list of core values. Christ, family, integrity. It is unacceptable for mortals to usurp that role, to block it, to substitute for it, or to fail to keep all eyes fixed on it. We understand that family rather than store is the appropriate paradigm for church. All contribute, children as much as adults.
Families come in all sorts and shapes.
They cannot be evaluated on how they appear. You are in a family for life unless you choose to leave. Within family life were pursued education, religion, and economic activity. Today, when one surveys the landscape of a town or city, one tends to see homes and stores. The basic paradigm for church is family.