Sundays with our Children

A Blueprint of Sunday Morning

 

Most Sundays, children join their care-givers in the Sanctuary for the opening elements of worship.  Following a Story and/or Song For All Ages, they and their teachers leave for their religious education classes.  Children are always welcome to remain in the Sanctuary with their caregivers.

 

After leaving the sanctuary, children join their teachers in the religious education classrooms.  Woven through the content will be an increasing focus on UU Identity, both locally and as being part of a larger UU entity.  In class they experience:

Lighting the Chalice with a demeanor of ceremony and words that are related to the day’s lesson and frames their time together in a positive and focused way. The children take turns lighting the chalice.

 

Sharing Time is comparable to “Joys and Sorrows” in the adult worship.  This small group practice contributes to developing a sense of community and bonding among the class members in a uniquely meaningful way. In providing a ritual venue to share both joys and sorrows in a small group setting, we affirm and model our first principle: the inherent worth and dignity of every person.

 

‘Sharing Our Abundance’ as a Spiritual Discipline.  Providing young UUs with an ethic of giving and giving back is an RE Committee program goal and a specific focus for all RE Classes and Children’s worship gatherings. 

 

Offering Collection on a weekly basis provides the children an opportunity to give of themselves for the benefit of others, a fundamental UU value. The children’s collective offerings sponsor a child in need, through the Children’s International Program.

 

Lessons and Activities are analogous to the core of the adult services, including the Sermon or Reflection. Like our adult services, this area offers a wide range of subject matter, approaches, activities, songs, prayers and overall experiences.   Thoughtful preparation provides the teachers an opportunity to broaden their own knowledge and share their gifts through the practice of hands-on theology with our children.

 

Intentional Closing serves as a transition from the circle created during the gathering in sharing, back into the larger world. Using the same traditional words of benediction used in the adult service provides continuity and familiarity with this liturgical element.

Suggestions for Children While In the Sanctuary

 

We believe it is essential for children to participate in whole church worship to develop a sense of being valued and welcome.  They may not understand everything that happens; that will come with maturity.  Children learn best through personal experience.  Through full participation, they will absorb a feeling of belonging to a loving faith community.

 

We also know that it is tough for children to sit still for long, thus we offer the following suggestions to parents and to the gathered congregation.

 

Get settled with your child(ren) as early as possible.  Consider sitting near the front.  Children who can see what is happening feel more involved.  Review the order of service and help children understand what will be happening.  Share the hymnal and order of service at your child’s eye level.  Line words with your finger to help them follow along.  Feel free to whisper instructions to help children learn “worship etiquette”.  During the “Story For All Ages”, adults are welcome to come forward and sit with your child.

 

Young children—infants, toddlers, preschoolers—are welcome in our service, and it is a given that “etiquette” is beyond their developmental level.  Speakers just outside the sanctuary allow you to see and hear the service should it become necessary to temporarily step out with a recurringly fussy baby or child.  Parents are encouraged to determine if the use of our nursery care room would be a happier and more comfortable situation for young children during full hour Intergenerational services.  You know your child best.

 

Talk about worship at home.  Look for opportunities to relate either the sermon or the children’s story to something that happens during the week.  If your family has experienced a significant joy or concern, support your child(ren) if they wish to share during that portion of our service.

A Message to the Congregation:

 

Remember the commitments we make in our Child Dedication Ceremony as we express our hope for them: A rich heritage and an abundant life, and realistic hope in themselves and our world...that they stretch their wings and grow their roots.  Full community worship is part of their process in religious becoming.

 

· Greet children as adults.

· Be intentional about knowing children’s names, as you are about the adults’ names.

· Engage our children in conversation.

· When children share during “Candles of Community”, respond to them as participants in worship.  They can be sensitive to laughter, often misunderstanding the intent.

· Be supportive when parents need to take young ones out and then return during worship.

· Have patience with the learning process...it won’t always be smooth!

· Open yourself to what you can learn from our children as well as what you might be able to teach them.

· Consider inviting a child to sit with you during worship (with parent’s permission).

· Discuss “Worship Etiquette”, and share your expectations through modeling as well as words.  The children will emulate your lead.

· Invite an older youth to be a worship partner.

All ages are welcome at Heritage.  We are glad you are here.