Summer Family Worship

by Pastor Bonnie Aldrich

Every summer we do a unique program with our elementary kids. And this year we are looking at an exciting 13-week unit on worship as we focus on our mission "to passionately pursue God." We're calling it "Summer Family Worship 2008," and it will take place from June 1 through August 24.

We realize the greatest environment for a child to experience corporate worship is in a corporate worship setting. So, we in Children's Ministry began to ask, "What would happen if, for thirteen weeks in the summer, our elementary children worshipped alongside of their parents?" Such an experience would be an opportunity for parents to model corporate worship to their children.

Parents are giving this venture overwhelming support! They know that when it comes to how their child learn, more lessons are caught than taught. So together, we are imagining this corporate worship service as a place where our kids are sensing the spirit of God as they observe and participate worshipping with adults.

One of the things I see as I watch the trends in Children's Ministry across the country is that there appears to be a movement of families experiencing corporate worship together. "Big church" becomes a place where children feel they are valued members in the whole church family.

I believe there is a great benefit to families worshipping together. In the Old Testament, parents included their children in the Passover. "When the Israelites celebrated the Passover according to God's instructions, they brought their children with them so that during the Passover feast the children would be able to ask: 'What does this ceremony mean to you?'" (Exodus 12:25-27)

We want the kids in our Pulpit Rock family to be able to look at their parents in a worship service this summer and ask, "What does this mean to you?"

At the Kid's Worship Center, kids will be able to pick up their own worship bulletin (with activities to help them during the service), pencils, and offering envelopes. Family follow up activities will be printed on the back of the kids bulletin to facilitate conversations during the week.

Our services this summer will be sensitive to our elementary-aged children. This will not be a time for kids to just "sit" with their parents. It will be a training time during which parents can help their child open his Bible, whisper prayers with him, explain difficult words in songs, help him prepare an offering, etc. Our pastors will work hard to include our kids. Instructions may appear on the screens during the message so parents for example can stop and read a scripture with their child.

Parents who are at church for a second hour in a Community Group or serving in a ministry may drop off elementary-aged children for a class in room 203 for that hour only. Nursery and preschool (birth through age 4) will continue their regular programs during the summer.

As you prepare for this special worship time with your child this summer, ask God to use these weeks to help your child engage in meaningful worship.

If you aren't a parent of an elementary-aged child, please be in prayer about how you can model worship to our children through your actions.

My personal prayer is that each child, who learns best by imitation, will learn the joy of worship as he enters this experience with his parent and the rest of the family at Pulpit Rock Church.