 Children
in Worship
“Worship the LORD in the splendor
of his holiness; tremble before him, all the earth.”
Psalm 96:9
It is important that children experience worship. Just as adults
gain knowledge, sing hymns and praise the Lord, children learn
from these experiences as well. The best way for children
to learn how to worship is to be in worship!
To help facilitate children’s learning and
to assist them in the experience of worshiping God,
a number of resources
are provided.
 Children’s Worship Folders: Blue folders containing materials designed to help children
participate more fully in the worship service are located
in the back of the Sanctuary and Great Hall. Each folder contains
a young reader’s version of the bulletin, bookmarks
for hymnal and Bible, worksheets that relate to the sermon topic or scripture, Think-About-It card, crayons and a pen.
Children's Time: During the 8:30 a.m. service in the Sanctuary and the 11:15 a.m. service in the Great Hall all children are invited to come to the front for a talk with the minister. After the Children's Time, children may go to Children's Church (if in 4-year Pre-K through 1st grade) or return to their seats.
 Children’s Church: During the 8:30 and 11:15 a.m. worship services Children’s
Church is offered for children in 4-year Pre-K through 1st grade. Children worship with their parents until Children's Time.
During the 8:30 service, after Children's Time children meet the Children’s
Church leader who escorts them to the Children's Church room (#104). There they worship God by listening to his stories and responding
to them through prayer, songs and art. The children and their leaders return to the Sanctuary after the sermon to rejoin their families for the remainder of worship.
During the 11:15 service, after Children's Time in the Great Hall the children and their leader go to the Sanctuary where they join the singing in the 4th Service. After Children's Time in the 4th Service, children and their Children's Church leaders go to the Children's Church room for the remainder of the hour. Parents meet their children after the service in room #104.
Children’s Church
is led by volunteers from the congregation who serve on a rotating basis.
How To Worship Class: Learning to worship in a corporate setting is a process, and this class is designed to equip first and second graders and their parents with tools that will enable that process. This three-session class meets on the last three Sundays in September. Older children and
their parents are welcome to attend. The first two sessions explore
the parts of the worship service and the third session explains
the two sacraments celebrated in the Presbyterian Church:
Baptism and the Lord’s Supper.
Children’s Music: Grade
level choirs provide an opportunity for children to sing music
appropriate for their age group. They are taught important
skills that allow them to take an active part
in worship on Sunday mornings. These choirs sing once a month.
Children & Communion: When
can my child take Communion? This is a question parents ponder as their children reach the developmental age that allows them to sit through a worship service and request participation in the Lord's Supper. This age varies depending on the child. Readiness to receive the Lord's Supper varies also, and is determined by parents after considering a number of questions.
The Book of Order of the PC(USA) states
that “invitation to the Lord’s Supper is extended
to all who have been baptized ...Baptized children who are
being nurtured and instructed in the significance of the invitation
to the Table and the meaning of their response are invited
to receive the Lord’s Supper, recognizing that their
understanding of participation will vary according to their
maturity”. (W-2.4011)
So the questions to be answered are these:
1. Has my child been Baptized?
2. Have I taught my child what Communion is about or has my
child been to a sacraments class?
3. Do I feel my child understands on his or her own level
what it means to take Communion?
Affirmative answers to these questions indicate that the child
is ready and is welcome to receive the Lord’s Supper. To assist parents in this determination, the Christian Education department offers How to Worship and Sacraments classes in September of each year. Materials for individual instruction can be borrowed from the Christian Education Resource Room.
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