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How important is helping children feel at home in the sanctuary?
Most of Jerome Berryman’s book The Spiritual Guidance of Children: Montessori, Godly Play, and the Future is a history of the Godly Play approach to Christian Education. But along the way Berryman...
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Year A - First Sunday after Christmas (December 29, 2013)
On the Sunday after Christmas children who come to worship (not unlike the adults who come to worship) will not be many in number and will be coming in many moods. Some will be basking in the rosy...
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New Years Day (Years A, B, C)
New Year’s Day Worship ThemesThere are several New Year’s themes that run through all today’s texts: time, God’s powerful presence in the world, the ability to change, and hope. Children can explore...
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Including Children in Weddings
Alison Bauer, who pastors a church in PA includes children in worship regularly in wonderfully creative ways. After I saw the pictures of her wedding album page for children, I asked her permission to...
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Year A - Second Sunday after Christmas (January 5, 2014)
The big choice this week is whether to work with the texts for the Second Sunday of Christmas or the Epiphany texts. I’d be inclined to go with Epiphany because I think they offer more to children...
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Year A - Epiphany (Monday January 6, 2014 or Sunday January 5, 2014)
These texts are set for January 6 which in 2013 is on a Monday. The ideas here could be incorporated into weeknight celebration that includes worship in a freer form than often followed on Sunday...
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Year C - Proper 26, 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time, 24th Sunday after Pentecost...
There are choices to be made by worship planners this weekend.Halloween was on Thursday night, but will probably be celebrated in many communities on Friday and on into the weekend. The Habakkuk...
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Article 1
At this point it is too late for many new Advent projects – but it is a great time to collect ideas for future Advents. To that collection add the paraments in these pictures. These beautiful...
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Children Learning and Leading Carols in Worship
One small church in rural Virginia is including its fewer than ten children, mainly preschoolers and younger elementary schoolers, in worship during Advent this year by asking them to lead the...
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Year A - The Baptism of the Lord (January 12, 2014)
Because it is “Baptism of the Lord” Sunday the first obvious worship theme is baptism, both that of Jesus and our own. (If you are going this way, jump to the Matthew text below.) But the texts also...
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Year A - Second Sunday after Epiphany, Second Sunday in Ordinary Time...
Isaiah 49:1-7> Reading this text in which the speaker is telling a story and within the story quoting God extensively requires practice. The reader needs to imagine himself (or herself, but in this...
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Why Children Need to Get to Church on Christmas Eve/Day
In most families Christmas Eve and Day are busy, chaotic times. It is not easy to get a family that includes overly-excited children to church. But, it is worth the effort. Children (and their...
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Year A - Third Sunday after the Epiphany, Third Sunday in Ordinary Time...
Both Old Testament readings include references to the light. “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light” and “The Lord is my light and my salvation.” If you have not already explored...
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Year A - Fourth Sunday after Epiphany, Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time...
Micah 6:1-8* To understand verses 1-5, one must know some Old Testament stories that are unfamiliar to many children. To grasp verse 6-7, one needs to know about the sacrificial system of Micah’s day...
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Children Can Serve As Acolytes
There are many ways to involve children in worship leadership. Epiphany with all the emphasis on light, encourages us to consider calling them to be acolytes. Acolyte means simply “helper.” Being...
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Year A - Fifth Sunday after Epiphany, Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time (February...
Isaiah 58:1-9a (9b-12)* Fasting is not a spiritual discipline with which children are familiar. They may not even know the word. If you work with the text in worship take time to introduce fasting....
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Year A - Sixth Sunday after Epiphany, Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time (February...
Deuteronomy 30: 15-20Two ways to read this passage in worship:* Tell the back story. Imagine Moses with all the people on the edge of the Promised Land. Recall the escape from Egypt, the 10 Commands,...
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Year A - Seventh Sunday after Epiphany, Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time...
Leviticus 19:1-2, 9-18* At the beginning of the service, identify HOLY as the word of the day and challenge children to count the number of times it is used in worship. Hear their counts as they leave...
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Observing Lent and Celebrating Easter in Year A (2014)
Since most of us are already thinking about Lent and Easter, I am posting this introduction to the season now. It gives you an overview of this year and links to previous posts you might find helpful....
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The Easter Vigil and Children
When the Episcopalian rector moved in next door and talked about “nearly burning down the church” with the Easter vigil fire, he had my attention. Shortly thereafter I attended my first Easter vigil....
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