Children & Worship
Children & Worship was created to make a special place where Children can come to encounter God, to be still with God and to listen to God. It is a place where Children come to nurture their spiritual life.
Nurture The Spiritual Life Of Children
Children & Worship can be used either during the worship service or during Sunday School. Children & Worship uses the familiar four-fold order of worship that many different congregations are familiar with. To begin, the children come into a special worship space, to a storyteller waiting to greet them. They sit in a circle, surrounded by bible stories made just for them, with all materials at their height. Everything in this special place is accessible to the children. This special coming together of the children follows the first order of worship which is the gathering of God's people to hear God’s word.
Next they will hear the word proclaimed through a bible story told with multi-sensory materials that children with all different learning styles can value and enjoy. As the story is finished the children are invited to enter into a time of wonder about the story. They are asked "wondering questions" to help them dive deeper into the meaning of the story and to listen for God's still voice that is found there. These questions might sound like, "I wonder if the Good Shepherd's sheep have names?" Or, " I wonder what it was like to be in the ark for forty days…I wonder if Noah knew that God was with him?"
Third, just as in "big" worship the children will respond to the word. In "big" worship we often respond through prayer, song, offering, celebrating the Eucharist, commissioning, and celebrating baptisms. The children have the chance to respond to the Word in a myriad of ways as well. Some of these ways include telling their own story or the story they just heard, using art and craft materials, praying at the prayer table, dancing in the dance corner, or building with materials such as clay or blocks.
As they leave the worship center, the children will participate in the last order of worship which is the sending out of God's people into the world. Each child will be given a special blessing as they leave to be God's disciples in their homes, schools, and activities.