Hello Everyone:
I was hoping to get some good perspectives and advice on this issue. I'm going to be giving some leadership to our church's Sunday School program for the fall. It's been a little lackluster with poor attendance for a few years. Considering over the churches I've visited or attended over the last 10 years or so, I realized that one big difference is that our SS is held before the morning service (9:30-10:30 or there abouts). All the other churches I've experienced do SS DURING the morning service. I think this would really help the attendance problem, as I see ALOT of kids in the church service that haven't just been to SS.
I think I might encounter some resistance to this idea though, especially from the pastors. I think they feel that kids should be in the adult service (until they are dismissed for a brief program during the sermon, as they are now) likely for reasons of family unity or perhaps they feel that kids get something out of it? Not sure.
As the mother of 4 young ones (7 and under) I would LOVE it if my kids had a program to go to during the whole service. I spend all the time they are with me in the service trying desperately to keep them quiet and occupied and usually I miss much of what's going on. I can't focus during the P&W time because of this. I don't see that they are getting ANY benefit from being in the service with my husband and I. The last church we attended that had the SS during the service, allowed my husband and I a precious hour of time together enjoying the P&W and really focusing on the sermon. It was great and I looked forward to it every week. Now, not so much.
So, I'd like to know others' opinions. What does your church do? I'd really love to hear some perspectives from an educational/developmental point of view---do kids really benefit from staying in an adult service? About what age DO they start benefiting?
Thanks,
Les
I was hoping to get some good perspectives and advice on this issue. I'm going to be giving some leadership to our church's Sunday School program for the fall. It's been a little lackluster with poor attendance for a few years. Considering over the churches I've visited or attended over the last 10 years or so, I realized that one big difference is that our SS is held before the morning service (9:30-10:30 or there abouts). All the other churches I've experienced do SS DURING the morning service. I think this would really help the attendance problem, as I see ALOT of kids in the church service that haven't just been to SS.
I think I might encounter some resistance to this idea though, especially from the pastors. I think they feel that kids should be in the adult service (until they are dismissed for a brief program during the sermon, as they are now) likely for reasons of family unity or perhaps they feel that kids get something out of it? Not sure.
As the mother of 4 young ones (7 and under) I would LOVE it if my kids had a program to go to during the whole service. I spend all the time they are with me in the service trying desperately to keep them quiet and occupied and usually I miss much of what's going on. I can't focus during the P&W time because of this. I don't see that they are getting ANY benefit from being in the service with my husband and I. The last church we attended that had the SS during the service, allowed my husband and I a precious hour of time together enjoying the P&W and really focusing on the sermon. It was great and I looked forward to it every week. Now, not so much.
So, I'd like to know others' opinions. What does your church do? I'd really love to hear some perspectives from an educational/developmental point of view---do kids really benefit from staying in an adult service? About what age DO they start benefiting?
Thanks,
Les