Children in Worship

In the Bible, God gives His children very specific instructions that the greatest thing we can ever do is “to love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength and with all your mind” Luke 10:27. To love God is to worship Him and walk with Him daily. We as parents, teachers, and the church as a whole must teach and train our children how to worship. They need to know how important worship is in our daily lives, and its importance in our relationship with our Heavenly Father. We are to teach God’s commands diligently to our children. (Deut. 6) To quote Ray Stedman’s article There’s Nothing Wrong with Hand-Me-Down Faith (Moody Monthly, June 1976):

“The Sunday School and church cannot substitute for parents in teaching spiritual truth. Only parents have the time, the concern and the relationship with their children to make it work. No one has as much influence on children as parents. Therefore, God holds parents responsible to teach their children how to love him with all their hearts, and souls, and might.”

All children are welcome in the worship services. There is child care for infants through three year olds if the parents so desire. When a child reaches the age of four, we encourage the parents to bring them to "'adult worship". Children need special help and instruction in how to worship and in understanding the various aspects of a worship service . In discussing worship with your family, treat it as a more "grown up" time for your child, as he has "graduated" up to entering worship, rather than staying in child care the whole morning. Encourage him to “be glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go into the house of the LORD’”. Psalm 122:1

The following tips may be helpful to you or may give you ideas toward further tips that will work well for your family.

1. Before your child turns four, begin to prepare him for worship by having him join you periodically. Especially good opportunities are when there will be a guest music artist, children's choirs, or other more "visual" aspects to the worship service.
2. Arrive at church in time to enter the worship area a few minutes early so your family will have a chance to greet others and find seats where your youngest can see the platform well.
3. Make sure your child has had an opportunity to use the restroom if necessary, and explain that you would prefer he not leave the service to do so, unless it's absolutely necessary.
4. Allow your child to pick up a Children's Bulletin and explain it may be used during the sermon or on the way home. Children may want to color right away, however encourage your child to participate in the service whenever possible and save the Children's Bulletin for the longer period of time when he/she must sit quietly.
5. Review the order of worship with your child and let him know there will be times to stand and sing, be still and pray to God, listen to others speak or sing. Allow your child to stand on the chair beside you so she can see better, and encourage her to participate by clapping, singing the parts she knows, smiling, etc. (Be sure you put an arm around your child to make sure she doesn't lose her balance while standing on the chair. This also encourages her participation with you in the service, plus she'll enjoy the closeness!)
6. Take a moment to look at any banners or special seasonal decorations in the worship area. Talk about the colors, symbols, etc. and why they are used in worship. Often, new banners will have a description or explanation printed in the order of worship.
7. Look up hymns and scriptures before the service begins, and mark the place. Have your child follow along during the singing or reading.
8. Assist your child in following along in the order of worship for the responsive or choral readings. Even if he can't read yet, he begins to understand how to use the bulletin. 9. Sitting still isn't absolutely necessary, but explain to your child how some movement can be noisy or distracting to others sitting close by. Sitting quietly is not a matter of "rule" as much as it is a matter of "respect" for others around you.
9. Save bulletins from week to week for creating your own "praise songbook" and help your children learn the songs by singing as a family at mealtimes, while driving in the car, or at bedtime. When they are familiar with the music, they will more readily participate on their own in worship.
10. Discuss with your children on the way home each Sunday, things they remember or especially enjoyed in the service that day. Ask them to relate to you what they remember from Children's Worship. Their feedback will give you an idea of how much your child can grasp and to what extent he is learning how to worship. As often as possible, the Children's Bulletin is designed to relate to the sermon topic for the day. See if your child remembers any of the pastor's message while he colored the bulletin.
11. Feel free to discuss special problems or concerns with other parents or the Director of Children's Education. Often, sharing ideas and tips that work with other families is the best resource.

Communion
The Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper is when we eat bread and drink wine to remember that Jesus suffered and died for us. The Children’s Education curriculum provides an opportunity to study the catechism throughout the preschool and elementary years. Typically, Trinity children who are in fifth grade participate in a more comprehensive study through the Communicant Class. Regardless of age, once a child has come to a good understanding of what it means to be a Christian and what we believe as followers of Christ, and once he has publicly professed his faith, a child may be admitted by the Session to the Lord’s Table. (Trinity invites all those who are communing members in good standing in any evangelical church to participate in the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper.) You may consider having your young child hold your “bread” and help you pass the trays of bread and wine, making him feel included in the solemnity and importance of this sacrament.

Baptism
Baptism symbolizes that we are cleansed from sin by the blood of Christ. It is a symbol of God’s covenant family. Those who believe in Jesus, and their children, are baptized to show that they belong to God. We have the hope that as our children grow they will know Christ as their personal Savior. Most often, baptism is performed for infants and young children of parents who are members of the church. Baptism is a special time to celebrate God bringing another child into His fellowship, as a covenant child. This is also an important time for the entire church family to pledge their support for the child and his/her parents, and for helping to raise the child in the church.

Offering
Explain to your child that the Bible tells us that we should give a tithe, or ten percent of what we receive in money, as an offering back to Him. Even if your child has no money of his own, help him to see that all we have comes from the Lord. Our gifts through the Offering in worship are our way of saying thank you to God for His many blessings, as well as being obedient to His commandments. Separate offering envelopes may be requested for your child(ren) through the church office.

SPECIAL NOTE The Library Committee has begun an excellent resource section for parents and children on the subject of Family Worship. Several informative and encouraging titles are offered and a complete bibliography is available through the Children's Education classes. The Library is located in Room 204. Especially recommended is Parenting in the Pew by Robbie Castleman. This book is given to all rising Pre-K parents in the spring.