church activities

[tonya]

What sort of church activities do yoyr children participate in??

 

[Celticflower]

My daughter has youth group twice a week, Sunday School and helps with the "Wee Worship" program during the service from time to time.
My son has Sunday School, kids' worship, BibleBowl and Jesus Jammers (kids' chorus).

 

[selune]

we've got Sunday school and junior church during services.

 

[christianmom]

I have four. All of them participate in Sunday School. My oldest two participate in youth group on Wed. as well. My youngest two 4 years old, participate in preschool group on Wed. and children's church on Sunday.

 

[HeatherJay]

Our church offers so many children's programs...it's wonderful. Right now, they both have Children's Worship (singing before Sunday School), Sunday School, and Children's Church (during the main service), and youth groups on Sunday night and Wednesday night. Also, once a month, we have JFG (Just For Girls) where the 'girls' (from age 4 to age 74) get together for a girly activity...tea parties, manicures, baking cookies, making jewelry, etc.

 

[Evening Mist]

My youngest child attends sunday school and will attend VBS for the first time this summer. (Assuming he will allow me to detach his little clutches from leg when we arrive for drop-off!)

My oldest refuses to go to Sunday school any longer. He's a trip. Insists that 2nd grade sunday school teachers are sort of "patronizing" and prefers to sit through the service with the adults. He does fine, absorbs most of what he hears, and so I feel perfectly comfortable with it. I only feel slightly nervous for the 1 sunday a week when I work, DH teaches Sunday school, and our son chooses to sit through the service all by himself. But I still feel it should be his choice.

Our oldest also participates in youth choir with weekly rehersals and will attend VBS for the 3 time this year.

 

[tonya]

The church we attend right now has nothing for the young children...lotsa old folk..I am looking for a church with activities for my child.I remember growing up with sunday school..youth group..youth choir..children's church..sunbeams..ga..ra..acteens..

 

[Celticflower]

My youngest child attends sunday school and will attend VBS for the first time this summer. (Assuming he will allow me to detach his little clutches from leg when we arrive for drop-off!)

My oldest refuses to go to Sunday school any longer. He's a trip. Insists that 2nd grade sunday school teachers are sort of "patronizing" and prefers to sit through the service with the adults. He does fine, absorbs most of what he hears, and so I feel perfectly comfortable with it. I only feel slightly nervous for the 1 sunday a week when I work, DH teaches Sunday school, and our son chooses to sit through the service all by himself. But I still feel it should be his choice.

Our oldest also participates in youth choir with weekly rehersals and will attend VBS for the 3 time this year.

When I was in 2nd grade I had to sit thru the service, in the choir loft, in a robe, singing all hymns and an anthem at least twice a month. We had to learn all the resposes, pay attention and BEHAVE ourselves. My kids rarely have to sit thru a service now due to "jr church" for the younger one and the pre-teen helping with "wee worship". So my question is-when do they learn how to behave and what to expect in a church service??

Celtie

 

[pmcleanj]

When I was in 2nd grade I had to sit thru the service, in the choir loft, in a robe, singing all hymns and an anthem at least twice a month. We had to learn all the resposes, pay attention and BEHAVE ourselves. My kids rarely have to sit thru a service now due to "jr church" for the younger one and the pre-teen helping with "wee worship". So my question is-when do they learn how to behave and what to expect in a church service??

Celtie

This is why I've made a point of bringing my children to church -- not Sunday School or nursery -- as *worshippers, as full participants in the service, basically since their births. And yes, it was hard when they were toddlers. But what made it particularly hard was the lack of welcome for them from the more elderly members of the congregation.

We're Anglicans, so our churches are richly decorated with colours, textures and smells that appeal to children. We baptize our babies and say that baptism is the means by which they become full members of the church. We charge parents formally in the baptism liturgy to "bring them to take their part in public worship" and ask the congregation to vow aloud "to do all that is in our power to support these persons in their new life in Christ". And then when young parents *do* what we've said they should do, we very often ostracize them or harass them. When young parents do the opposite of what we've said we believe, we facilitate their decision!

Lutherans very often schedule their Sunday School classes before or after the worship service, and *expect* the children to be in worship with their parents. That simple scheduling decision, and a modicum of tolerance for the inevitable little sounds and movements of small children, do more to ensure that our children will grow up in Christ than all the child-care arrangements we put in place to allow their parents to worship undistracted!

Just my opinion, of course, but a very strongly-held one!

 

[Evening Mist]

The key to getting my son involved and cooperative during the service was educating him about the literagy, and answering all his questions. He understands a great deal more now that he can read and follow along, and grasps some of the concepts that we've disscussed at home. And if he can't stand it, he can always sit and read the bible which he usually enjoys too. Being able to read (to follow along) has been the number one factor in helping him to adjust. (He is 7, btw.)

 

[HeatherJay]

This is why I've made a point of bringing my children to church -- not Sunday School or nursery -- as *worshippers, as full participants in the service, basically since their births. And yes, it was hard when they were toddlers. But what made it particularly hard was the lack of welcome for them from the more elderly members of the congregation.

We're Anglicans, so our churches are richly decorated with colours, textures and smells that appeal to children. We baptize our babies and say that baptism is the means by which they become full members of the church. We charge parents formally in the baptism liturgy to "bring them to take their part in public worship" and ask the congregation to vow aloud "to do all that is in our power to support these persons in their new life in Christ". And then when young parents *do* what we've said they should do, we very often ostracize them or harass them. When young parents do the opposite of what we've said we believe, we facilitate their decision!

Lutherans very often schedule their Sunday School classes before or after the worship service, and *expect* the children to be in worship with their parents. That simple scheduling decision, and a modicum of tolerance for the inevitable little sounds and movements of small children, do more to ensure that our children will grow up in Christ than all the child-care arrangements we put in place to allow their parents to worship undistracted!

Just my opinion, of course, but a very strongly-held one!

Our church has Sunday School (for both adults and children) before the main church service. During the service we have nursery for the very small ones, but the 3-4 year olds on up stay for the first half of the main service (singing, prayers, tithes, scripture reading) and then are dismissed to Children's Church for the remainder of the time when the pastor delivers his full sermon (where they usually play games in the gym, make a craft, have a snack, etc). I think it's wonderful that the church is set up to cater to the spiritual needs AND the attention spans of our children.

The attention our church puts on children's programs is one of the main reasons we chose this church. It's wonderful to have children who truly look forward to going to church.

Love, Heather

 

[Andry]

After we moved, we visited several area churches before finally settling on one (and just recently). Our criteria? Because our son likes it. At this age (4) it's important for him to be just 'immersed' with church life and activity so that his memory when he's older is he's been 'to church' all his life. It behooves churches and church leaders to continue to appreciate and understand the importance of a good children's programme.