I’m particularly interested in the spiritual development of children. There are countless curriculum, programs, and disciplines that aid adults in spiritual development, but not for children. Yet children are almost always more attuned to their spiritual lives than we are. They are able to live with the understanding of mystery much more comfortably than we are as adults. They feel and express awe at the mighty works of God from stories in scripture and in their own lives, whereas we have to work a lot harder for that response. When a child does something wrong, their remorse is heavy, and they feel deeply a need for forgiveness. One of the most significant ways that we as parents can help our children develop spiritually, and equip them with ways to continue that development through their lifetimes is to teach them to worship.
It may not always be as entertaining as Minecraft, or as immediately engaging as the current children or young adult book series, but the rhythms of our liturgy can be a sustaining part of their walk with Christ throughout their lives. And because children are more attuned to their spirituality, they will hear things in the scriptures, and appreciate things in the liturgy that we have long since glossed over. As exhausting as it can be to do the work of teaching them to worship, having children as part of the liturgy is helpful to adults too! Last week in Communion Café, a small child yelled, “yay!!” at the end of worship. It helped all of us to leave the worship reminded that it was, indeed, a glorious thing. Most importantly, God loves it when we worship. Our work with our children in church is glorious to God!
Two things that our family learned from Parenting in the Pew that made a tremendous difference to us all in worship were to always sit together as a family, and to sit near the front. Both of these seemed counter-intuitive at first, but remain the cornerstones of our family’s worship practices today, and both helped us all appreciate the joys children bring to worship. We explained to our children that worship was sacred time together as a family. It was part of the reason we were created, and when we worship together as a family, we become closer. God gave us each other, and it is important to us to be together in worship. They are welcome to sit with friends during breakfast, and to have playtime after church. But that one hour is a time we could count on for all of us to be together. Over time, this became a precious time for us all. We are an affectionate church family: we rub backs, hold hands, and snuggle. One of the hardest things for me in my vocational call to the priesthood was giving up the church hour with my girls and David.
Moving to the front row was a very scary move for us when the girls were little. The back seemed safe for easy exits and less attention from others who might judge our children’s behavior or our parenting. But being in the front enhanced worship for the girls. Suddenly they could see everything that was happening. They could follow the rhythm of the liturgy more easily when they saw the movement of the people. They also felt more a part of the service when they could see and be seen. The preacher sometimes smiled directly at them, the acolyte carrying the cross would wink at them, and they could see the expressions of the disciples in the Last Supper stained glass window over the altar. And I learned to care less about what other people thought, and more about what God thought. I can’t help but think God looks at our efforts to teach children to love worship and say, “it is very good.”
It may not always be as entertaining as Minecraft, or as immediately engaging as the current children or young adult book series, but the rhythms of our liturgy can be a sustaining part of their walk with Christ throughout their lives. And because children are more attuned to their spirituality, they will hear things in the scriptures, and appreciate things in the liturgy that we have long since glossed over. As exhausting as it can be to do the work of teaching them to worship, having children as part of the liturgy is helpful to adults too! Last week in Communion Café, a small child yelled, “yay!!” at the end of worship. It helped all of us to leave the worship reminded that it was, indeed, a glorious thing. Most importantly, God loves it when we worship. Our work with our children in church is glorious to God!
Two things that our family learned from Parenting in the Pew that made a tremendous difference to us all in worship were to always sit together as a family, and to sit near the front. Both of these seemed counter-intuitive at first, but remain the cornerstones of our family’s worship practices today, and both helped us all appreciate the joys children bring to worship. We explained to our children that worship was sacred time together as a family. It was part of the reason we were created, and when we worship together as a family, we become closer. God gave us each other, and it is important to us to be together in worship. They are welcome to sit with friends during breakfast, and to have playtime after church. But that one hour is a time we could count on for all of us to be together. Over time, this became a precious time for us all. We are an affectionate church family: we rub backs, hold hands, and snuggle. One of the hardest things for me in my vocational call to the priesthood was giving up the church hour with my girls and David.
Moving to the front row was a very scary move for us when the girls were little. The back seemed safe for easy exits and less attention from others who might judge our children’s behavior or our parenting. But being in the front enhanced worship for the girls. Suddenly they could see everything that was happening. They could follow the rhythm of the liturgy more easily when they saw the movement of the people. They also felt more a part of the service when they could see and be seen. The preacher sometimes smiled directly at them, the acolyte carrying the cross would wink at them, and they could see the expressions of the disciples in the Last Supper stained glass window over the altar. And I learned to care less about what other people thought, and more about what God thought. I can’t help but think God looks at our efforts to teach children to love worship and say, “it is very good.”