Children in worship

In the first issue of PLGRM, Rev. LeAnn Watkins, rector at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in St. Paul, MN, shares how after numerous attempts of increasing attendance of bible studies and other church-related programs, her staff decided to cancel it all – everything during the weekdays except seasonal services. You can hear her tell her story on the Episcopal Story Project. She says, “You can’t chase after folks and expect them to hear you. You have to be in front of them when they are coming toward you. So we’ve tried to ask the question, ‘How do we stop chasing people, and get in front of people?’” I have to say that I ask myself the same question.

Not unlike many churches, I can no longer assume that those sitting in the pews are familiar with Bible stories such as Noah and the Ark, Jonah and the Whale, the Prodigal Son, or the Feeding of the 5000 – stories that I have heard growing up as a child. I am also keenly aware that 1-hour of Sunday School is not enough for kids to build a solid foundation for their spiritual formation. Yet, parents often times feel ill-prepared to be the ones to teach their kids the Bible, relying and hoping that the church will do it. The challenge is addressing this issue. I find it almost impossible to find a time where families can meet for a family Bible study. I am often competing with hectic schedules of school activities, games, and family events – not to mention my own. I have thought about creating another worship service that is more family-friendly, but again I am challenged with finding the right day and time.

So, how do I stop chasing people and get in front of them? I decided to focus and change the one thing I knew people showed up – our main worship service. If this is the only guaranteed time where kids, families, singles, young, old, retired, busy, college-age, cradle-Presbyterians, new-to-the-faith, were going to be in one place . .. then I was going to take advantage of it. This meant that worship had to be more intergenerational – more inclusive of all ages, all abilities, and all customs. Intergenerational does not mean kid-friendly. However, it does mean making room for those who are introverted/extroverted, cerebral/tactile, able/less-abled, and young/old to enter into worship as they feel comfortable. Whether one is an adult or a child, we all have those qualities about us. By focusing on those qualities and not on age, worship can be a wonderful experience for all.