Worship and LearningWorship is one of the basic ways people learnwhat it means to be Christian. Children learnworship by worshipping with the congregationSunday after Sunday.

✔ They learn they belong to Christ and arewelcome in His Church.

✔ They learn to know the Lord�s Prayer andother parts of the liturgy from memory.

✔ They build a fund of memorable, sharedexperiences of Christian community againstwhich they may draw when they are older.

✔ They are enriched by the beauty of music andart as expressions of praise and as humanresponses to God.

✔ They hear stories from the Bible read andinterpreted, and begin to see Christianworship as one place where God may speakto them.

✔ They witness the drama of Baptism andEucharist as signs of God�s kindness andfavor.

✔ They discover that they are valued aspersons by God and by the people of God atChurch.

Bringing children to worship may not always beeasy, but it is an essential part of their growthin Christ. The Body of Christ assembled isincomplete in their absence. We need children.

ABC�s for Parentsand Friends of Children

Arrive in time to find a good place to sit. Sittingnear the front will provide younger children with abetter view of the sanctuary.

Bring quiet toys, books, or coloring books forpreschool and early elementary school agechildren.

Clue in children as to what will happen next inworship. Children who can read will want to followthe service in the Prayer Book and find hymns inThe Hymnal. Children like to be ready.

Discuss worship at home to prepare children forany departures from the routine of worship suchas Baptism or other special features. Also givetime to answer questions about worship experi-ences.

Express your gladness at having children inworship. During the Peace be sure to welcome thechildren near you. Include them in you conversa-tions before and after worship to let them knowthey belong.

Free yourself from worry about children�s behav-ior and be open to receiving their ministry to you.

A Guide for Parentsand Friends of Children

Making

for Childrenin Church

Room

Children at WorshipOur parish family includes an increasing numberof families with children. The inclusion of thesechildren in worship is of great importance.

We welcome children to worship by:✔ Providing a family worship service each

Sunday;✔ Encouraging families to bring their children

of all ages to the family worship. Children arean important and welcomed part of ourworshipping community;

✔ Providing child care for infants and toddlersthrough age two during worship and urgingparents to slip out at the time of TheCommunion of the People to pick up theirinfants and toddlers so that they can go tothe altar rail as a family;

✔ Encouraging older children to participate inworship as acolytes and choir members;

✔ Encouraging parents to take their childrento the vestibule for a break whenever neededand to use the resources listed elsewhere inthis brochure;

✔ Providing children�s bulletins for youngchildren based on the Gospel lesson andhaving picture and storybooks on a table inthe back of the church;

✔ Modeling appropriate church behavior forchildren by teaching them to stand, sit, orkneel with the congregation.

An effective teaching method is to graduallylengthen the time a child remains in church.Children can usually be expected to participatein an entire service in an orderly manner by thetime they enter second grade.

The Preschool ChildAdults may question the wisdom of includingpreschool children in worship. It is true that theysometimes distract those around them anddistress parents by their behavior. But asmembers of the family, they are needed by all ofus to complete the circle at God�s table.

The preschool child comes to worship with:✔ A short attention span,✔ Seemingly endless energy,✔ A growing curiosity about everything.

While these ingredients can combine to test thepatience of adults, there are several thingsparents can do to make the preschooler�sexperience�and everyone�s�more relaxed andenjoyable:

✔ Sit near the front where the child can have aclear view of the sanctuary.

✔ Prepare the child for the different parts ofthe worship service, explaining special eventsahead of time and answering questions thatneed an answer �right now� in a whisper.

✔ Allow the preschooler to bring along afavorite stuffed animal, picture books,coloring books or other quiet toys to playwith when they get bored. Make use of thoseprovided in the back of the church.

✔ Encourage as much adult-like behavior asthe child can tolerate. Allow children to beactive within limits of the situation, as longas the activity is not distracting others.

✔ Use the quiet time of church as a chance fora special togetherness of parents and childwhich may not be possible during the week.

A sensitivity to the preschooler�s abilities andneeds can help make worship a pleasant experi-ence for everyone.

The Primary ChildThe school-age child brings some new abilities toworship:✔ A greater capacity for attentive listening.✔ An increasing ability to read.✔ The ability to organize and memorize infor-

mation.

Parents help the primary child toward greaterparticipation in worship as these capacitiesdevelop when they:

✔ Help memorize the Lord�s Prayer and otherparts of the liturgy.

✔ Review the bulletin with the child to identifynew or difficult words and preview togetherthose parts where the congregation re-sponds by reading and speaking.

✔ Invite the child to follow the liturgy in thebook Holy Communion for Children.

✔ Find hymns in The Hymnal and go over thewords.

✔ Talk about the sermon and ask the primarychild what he or she remembers best aboutit.

✔ Encourage the child to listen to the sermonfor stories, answers to questions or impor-tant thoughts.