Many years ago I put my 45 Sunday school kids in a room with dozens of cardboard boxes, adults with box-cutters, plenty of things like tapes, string, paint, brushes, lengths of fabric, and more. Then I let them loose to make “church”. It was big: 4 x 5 metres. It had everything in it including a keyboard and mics. Without any prompting they went from creating the space to playing church.
The key to this outcome is to give the kids all the time they want. And no pressure to clean up the mess.
This looks like a lot of fun, and it would stimulate good conversations. How would it work for churches that have few of the traditional practices. Preachers dressed as for a day of gardening, baby dedications without baptismal font or gown, no pulpit, and a rock concert band? And what of the churches that have no children in the service, on purpose?
I love these kinds of stories and I try to write them myself. The theology can be tricky. I believe that linking the story to Acts and the account of what happened to Ananias becomes problematic. And the tone of the story changes to 'preachy'. It's also good to think of who your listeners are. Children? Adults from the same background and church experience as you?
The last paragraph says it all. Entering this time for all with an attitude of reverential worship is the key. The children also need to see their involvement as worship.
i would also add that the prayers the children read should be written by them. This requires sitting with them beforehand to discuss the prayer's focus, and construct a prayer in their own words.
Assistance Fund and Assistance Deacon falls short of the word Benevolence. In my opinion. I agree with other comments that the congregation and the recipients of this benevolence need to be enlightened as to its meaning. It really is a lovely word. Assistance means help; benevolence means good help. It has many sister words such as benefit.
I am envious of this Christmas Eve service. In Australia there are very few churches that would have anything on Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day is often a mediocre affair attended by the miserable few people who couldn’t get away for the holidays.
The resistance to celebrating Christmas at Christmastime is coming from the churches themselves. It’s summer, school holidays, and family time. They claim that nobody from the community will come and they are reinforcing that notion by staying away themselves.
I agree with you that we should put the finishing work of Christ at the centre at Christmas. Now we just need a church service at which to preach it.
Worship comes from the relationship we have with God. Kids don’t need the ‘how’, they need to meet the ‘who’. Change the programme from teaching, and worship will follow.
Thank you Cordelia, these are fine suggestions for children and adults, and should be included in the worship services. Your children will wonder why adult church is so one dimensional when they attend it.
I have advised churches on how to broaden the experiences of worship, and generally it has been ignored. Church leaders are afraid of dumbing down the service, having to deal with disgruntled adults, and needing to work at the idea. And so they choose the status quo.
Posted in: How Covenant CRC Created a Play Church to Communicate Belonging to Children
Many years ago I put my 45 Sunday school kids in a room with dozens of cardboard boxes, adults with box-cutters, plenty of things like tapes, string, paint, brushes, lengths of fabric, and more. Then I let them loose to make “church”. It was big: 4 x 5 metres. It had everything in it including a keyboard and mics. Without any prompting they went from creating the space to playing church.
The key to this outcome is to give the kids all the time they want. And no pressure to clean up the mess.
Posted in: How Covenant CRC Created a Play Church to Communicate Belonging to Children
This looks like a lot of fun, and it would stimulate good conversations.
How would it work for churches that have few of the traditional practices. Preachers dressed as for a day of gardening, baby dedications without baptismal font or gown, no pulpit, and a rock concert band?
And what of the churches that have no children in the service, on purpose?
Posted in: Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand
I love these kinds of stories and I try to write them myself. The theology can be tricky. I believe that linking the story to Acts and the account of what happened to Ananias becomes problematic.
And the tone of the story changes to 'preachy'. It's also good to think of who your listeners are. Children? Adults from the same background and church experience as you?
Posted in: Retelling Childhood Stories
These are great questions for so many people to ponder on. Thank you for sharing this.
Posted in: And a Child Shall Lead Them. . . in Prayer
The last paragraph says it all. Entering this time for all with an attitude of reverential worship is the key. The children also need to see their involvement as worship.
i would also add that the prayers the children read should be written by them. This requires sitting with them beforehand to discuss the prayer's focus, and construct a prayer in their own words.
Posted in: If Ever There Was a Need for Integrity, It Is Now
End of paragraph 4 - should that be a ‘bribe’?
Posted in: What Do You Call Your Benevolence Ministry?
Assistance Fund and Assistance Deacon falls short of the word Benevolence. In my opinion. I agree with other comments that the congregation and the recipients of this benevolence need to be enlightened as to its meaning. It really is a lovely word. Assistance means help; benevolence means good help. It has many sister words such as benefit.
Posted in: Some Dos and Don'ts from My Recent Attempt to Memorize Psalm 1
Colin Buchanan has a whole album of scripture verses in song.
Posted in: Maximizing Christmas Eve
I am envious of this Christmas Eve service. In Australia there are very few churches that would have anything on Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day is often a mediocre affair attended by the miserable few people who couldn’t get away for the holidays.
The resistance to celebrating Christmas at Christmastime is coming from the churches themselves. It’s summer, school holidays, and family time. They claim that nobody from the community will come and they are reinforcing that notion by staying away themselves.
I agree with you that we should put the finishing work of Christ at the centre at Christmas. Now we just need a church service at which to preach it.
Posted in: Toy Story: How We Used Lego in Summer Children’s Ministry
Lego, like sheep.
Posted in: Do Your Children Know How to Worship?
Worship comes from the relationship we have with God. Kids don’t need the ‘how’, they need to meet the ‘who’. Change the programme from teaching, and worship will follow.
Posted in: Do Your Children Know How to Worship?
Thank you Cordelia, these are fine suggestions for children and adults, and should be included in the worship services. Your children will wonder why adult church is so one dimensional when they attend it.
I have advised churches on how to broaden the experiences of worship, and generally it has been ignored. Church leaders are afraid of dumbing down the service, having to deal with disgruntled adults, and needing to work at the idea. And so they choose the status quo.
Please bring these ideas into the main service.