HOW DO WE WORSHIP WITH CHILDREN?

Smile at children and their parents. No scowling! Greet them.
Children are not the future of the church, they are the church. At baptism, we welcome them to God’s family and promise to journey with them.
Catch their interest, wonder, and enthusiasm. Answer their questions.

Be a positive role model. Express your joy and enthusiasm.
Make worship a special time, preparing clothes and offering and special traditions, like a favorite breakfast before church.
Do family devotions, to teach prayer, songs, reverence, and God’s story.
Use a worship bag or bring your child’s bible, bible coloring or storybook.
Describe the behavior you want in positive terms. Be realistic and developmentally appropriate about your expectations.

Attend worship regularly. Children learn by repetition and reinforcement.
Arrive early, so you can get settled in, answer questions, and point out important, interesting things about the sanctuary.
Sit where children can see and hear.
Help children follow the service in the bulletin and hymnal, and model participation and enthusiasm.
Speak in a whisper, close to your child’s ear.
Step out of the sanctuary, if your child is having a hard time. Return as soon as your child is calm.

Learn the names of the children and welcome them by name.
Greet the children and share the peace with them.
Thank children and their parents for coming to worship. This is how a church family is supposed to look and sound.
If you are distracted by a child’s activity, pray for that child.
Look for a way you can help – sit in the pew with the parent and child, offer a piece of paper and pencil, show where we are in the bulletin.
Children already belong … God announces that in baptism!