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Children's Ministry Blog

Parenting in the Pew
 

The next couple of months we’re going to be walking through children’s talks that teach kids about the different parts of the worship service and why we do them. We pray that this will help the worship become more real and meaningful to your whole family.

So what are some ways to help your kids get ready for worship? When our kids first came to us they had never been to church before. We did pre-teaching in the car on the way to church every Sunday for months! Even now we do it if there’s something special going on. Some things we pre-taught…

• We stand when people stand (show respect for Jesus)
• We sit when people sit
• Our worship bag is for during the sermon
• We use quiet voices
• We get drinks and go to the bathroom BEFORE church starts
• We read along with the responsive readings (if we can read)
• We sing along with songs we know. Songs we don’t know we hum when we get the tune.

We even used a donut (or snack) as a reward for after worship. If they behaved and participated they could get a donut and if we thought the donuts might run out we picked one before the service and put it in a cup on top of the fridge so it was waiting for us. Very few Sundays did I have to give away or throw away donuts!

I’ve also noticed that my kids are keen on listening to the sermon if the pastor uses story or video. I’ve gotten many questions about what words or stories mean. Pretty cool to think my kid’s listening to the sermon right along with me! 
- Deb Hartje, DCE
February 1, 2013

Celebrating Advent with Kids

Several years ago one of the youth volunteers gave me an advent wreath with the note, “To use with your family.” At the time I didn’t have one so it usually sat in the box. Now it comes out every year to sit on our table. At dinner we light the candle(s) then read through an Advent devotion and talk about it. At the end the kids take turns blowing out the candles—which is their favorite part!

This year our family is using Welcome A Mighty Savior (find it with the advent booklets as you enter church.) Now that my kids are older they can help read parts of the devotion. This one has both child and parent sections. It also closes each night with the Lord’s Prayer. That’s helpful because I’ve realized not all my kiddos know all of the words. They love being involved!

We’re naming the Advent candles this season as part of the Children’s Talk series. The first Sunday we lit the first candle and named it Wisdom. The names are coming from the O Antiphon responsive readings in the worship. We talked about how God has all wisdom and how we want that wisdom as we know and love him in our hearts and minds. Here are the other names...

Week 2: O Root of Jesse – Light two candles
Week 3: O Key of David – Light three candles
Week 4: O King of Nations – Light four candles
Christmas Day: O Dayspring - Light all four candles and add a center candle for the Christ candle (He has come!)
Dec 30: O Emmanuel – Light the Christ candle only (Advent is over, Christ is here!)

Jan 6 is Epiphany when we celebrate the light and the coming of the wise men who followed the star. Continue your lighting of the Christ candle through this day, which is traditionally the 12th day of Christmas.             -Deb Hartje, DCE