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... an attitude,
... a spiritual experience,
... a gathering of the church
Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them..."
Matthew 19:14
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| Children and Youth Ministry Programs Before the Service: * Check out the Children's Resources that are located on the table at the entrance of the sanctuary. * Come early to get settled and try to sit near the front. Children who can see what is happening feel more involved. * Introduce yourself and your children to the people sitting nearby. * Review the order of worship and help children find the hymns, scriptures, and prayers, and mark them. During the Service: * Share your hymnal, Bible, bulletin, and sermon notes at your child's eye level. Follow along with your finger for younger readers and even for non-readers who can pick out repetitive words. * At the Children's Event, come forward with young or unsure children. Following that, return to your seats. Prepare your child for the sermon by taking out the Youth Sermon Notes or Children's Bulletin and a pencil. Feel free to whisper instrucitons to help guide your child through the notes. * Allow children to write their own names on the Blue Cards. They can place these and your offering in the plates as they are passed. After the Service: * Complement children when they've behaved well. It always feels good to hear you've done a good job! * Talk about what you experienced at home. Relate the sermon, songs or scripture lessons to your child's day-to-day life. How can I help welcome families and children? * Greet children as well as adults, and be intentional about knowing the children's names, too. If possible, come down to the child's eye level to talk. * Hand older children the offering plate rather than passing it over their heads. * Help parents find the Children's Resources (Children's packet, Children's bulletin). * When children take on leadership in a worship service, respond to them as worship leaders -- not as performers. * Always laugh with children, not at them. * Occasionally invite a child you know to site with you during worship. * Understand when parents need to take younger ones out and then return during worship. * Be patient with the learning process; we are all children of God. Children learn "worship etiquette" by participation. Someone may need to whisper instructions during the service to help them learn. * If you turn to see where "all that noise" is coming from, be gentle. A knowing smile can keep the curious glance from feeling like a glare for a parent with a restless child! |