Welcoming families with children

[Mrs Haruo]

This morning our congregation officially welcomed our new "Children and Families Director" and this was the Sunday after Vacation Bible School, so of course there was special music by some of the kids from VBS and their teachers, and visiting parents in the congregation. I was home nursing illness related to our unusual heat wave last week and was delighted to see a big table with coloring pages and crayons for visiting children in the gathering area outside the doors to the sanctuary this morning. Then in the pew backs with the usual offering envelopes, pew bibles and hymnals was a large card addressed "TO THE CARETAKERS OF OUR YOUNG CHILDREN, MAY WE SUGGEST..." ...(we have several grandparents who bring visiting grandchildren to church) ...

"1. Relax! God put the wiggle in children, don't feel you have to suppress it in God's house. JBC's tagline is "Where everyone is welcome!"
2. Sit towards the front or in the side pews where it is easier or the little ones to see and hear. They can tire of seeing the backs of other's heads.
3. Children are inquisitive! Feel free to quietly explain the parts of the service to them.
4. If you have to leave service with your child, feel free to doo so, but please don't feel embarrassed to re-enter the sanctuary. We want you to come back. As Jesus said, "Let the children come to me."
5. Please let your child use the reverse side of this card or the pads of paper to draw and doodle.

TO THE MEMBERS
1. Young ones are a gift to the Church. The presence of children and their voices remind us that our congregation is growing.
2. Please welcome our children and give a smile of encouragement to their caretakers.
3. Remember that the way we welcome children in church has a direct impact on how they respond to Church, to God, and to one another Let them know that they are at home in this house of worship.

NURSERY NOTES: Children of all ages are welcome in the sanctuary during service; however, we also offer these options:
1. The 3rd floor nursery opens at 9:30 AM for 6 months to 5 year old children. Please pick up your child right after the worship service.
2. You are welcome to accompany your child in the Legacy Library which has windows looking directly into the sanctuary and can have the sound from the service piped into that room."

_______________________________________________________________________________________

I thought this was the most welcoming thing I have ever seen for young parents or anyone else who has thought of bringing children they know to church for the first time. Particularly in an area where there is a much lower per capita church attendance "habit" than most other parts of the country, there are a LOT of families that may have several generations of family who are unsure of what goes on behind the doors on Sunday morning.

[Haruo]

It's a very well designed note. And since we no longer use KJV much, we don't have to deal with people complaining that it's unbiblical because it doesn't mention the little children suffering...

[Dave Roberts]

I think it's a great note. I remember the story about the little guy who was getting an explanation from his dad about the plaque in the foyer. The father explained that all those whose names were on the plaque had died in the service. The little boy then asked, "Was that the early or the late service?"

[linda]

LOVE THE NOTE!

Taking children to church can be challenging these days. I take a very well behaved 10 year old granddaughter. She has kept a sermon journal since before she was old enough to write. Drew pictures of the sermon story back then. Our local church got a new pastor, who wanted all kids to just sit a quietly listen. His sermons frequently run 50-60 minutes. After the first 10 minutes or so it is repeat territory, interspersed with chasing rabbits. As adults we tried, we really tried but we would just get lost and about nod off. She continued to quietly--and I am adamant it has to be quietly and not disturbing anyone--journal. Pastor had a hissy fit.

She also loves to sing.

So we are visiting a new church with a great big heart for children. It is currently temporarily without musicians. The song leader does a wonderful job even so, a nice mix of old CCM, new CCM, and wonderful hymns. Granddaughter is a hymn lover, and yesterday we did "Leaning on the everlasting arms." The couple in front of us was doing the melody very beautifully together, he a bass and she a soprano. I leaned in a bit and added an alto descant. Granddaughter had to step out into the aisle a step to see the words, then came leaning in towards the three of us and added a beautiful high soprano harmony riff of "leaning". It caught fire around us and was just one of those moments when worship takes off. Rather than squelching her desire to participate the song leader built on it. That opened up worship to others with other talents and "ears." Some of those folks really have some amazing voices, and some of those voices are other teens and preteens.

We ended with folks be bopping along with the southern gospel invitation song.

She came home just sparkling, full of joy and very much feeling she had worshipped. I'm grateful for their welcoming attitude towards youngsters, and grateful the seniorist saints, the teensiest babes, and all of us in between were allowed to contribute and made feel welcome.

That's church.

I think we will visit there again