Worship Weblog

Oakland Book Group – Second Meeting

Posted by cicw

Friday, November 6th, 2009

Book Groups

We invited 34 book groups across the U.S. and Canada to meet and discuss The Church of All Ages and its implications for their worship, and to share their notes here.
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What is the relationship of children to adults in worship?

Cathy said: Some people see it preparing children for adult worship whereas it’s really children’s own worship, a human being worshipping God regardless of what age. Children can detect when they are given busy work, e.g., craft things that take up time when they may be ready for real participation through drama, art, music–

Bill rejoined: –like at a restaurant, when kids are given a coloring book and are told to color. I’d like to see us acknowledge their status and their ability to be free participants. I’d like the adults with the ability of music, dance and art to mentor children with those abilities and skills. Kids can tell if you really love them. What age workers are the best to work with kids? It doesn’t matter- you can be very old or young: if you love kids, they know it and they respond to you.

Teresa said: As the book emphasized, everyone should feel equally important in worship from the little kids to the seniors.. We should include kid-friendly art in some of our PowerPoint slides. We should have certain songs we sing each week that are familiar to kids, so that they feel equally included.

Cathy said: Adults can identify their own path and then also keep an eye out for giving kids an opportunity to develop their passions. For example, if you like gardening, don’t just do it yourself, invite a kid who’s ready.

Lara added: When we do baby dedications, church members covenant to be a part of the child’s life: It’s not enough to say you’ll be taking a part in the child’s life and then not do anything about it. We’re not each called to reach out to everyone but to have some involvement with a child or a few children. We feel there are certain people called children’s ministry and I think that’s unfair. I started out not called but just because there was a need and then slowly gained more experience.

Jeremy observed: Maybe if adults aren’t clear on what to do they might get overwhelmed. Sometimes if you give adults exact instructions [e.g., for storytelling in Children's Ministry] and a definite sense of how much commitment you’re asking for, some would be more likely to give it a try.

Russ added: All true–but, nevertheless, for many adults, especially parents of young children, that 45 minutes during the service when the kids are in Children’s ministry is maybe the only time during the whole week that they have a focused, undistracted uninterrupted experience of prayer, Scripture, and worship.

Tags: bgoakland, Book Groups 2009, intergenerational