This is part two of the series looking at the inclusion of Children & Young People in Worship – this time just a quick overview of the issue of segregation.
At Spurgeon Baptist Church it is our practice to spend the first part of the service with all ages present, before separating about half way through, with the young people leaving the service and heading into different age groups.
There appear to be three different approaches to the logistics of the Junior Church ‘hokey cokey‘ (in, out, etc). In brief, this involves Children and Young People:
- in at start of service then depart…
- positive: get to experience other people worshipping
- positive: experience ‘church’ together as a family
- positive: acts as an introduction when the leave Junior Church
- negative: sending them out can appear negative
- out from the start (never joining the main congregation)
- positive: appropriately targeted teaching & worship
- positive: a more relevant expression of church for them
- negative: never worshipping with adults
- out at the start but joining the congregation later
- positive: welcoming the younger ones into the Church
- negative: logistically more difficult
This is just a simple outline of the options and some positives & negatives of each – it is by no means exhaustive. Apart from spending the whole service together (traditional ‘family service’), can you think of any additional models to add? Do you agree or disagree with the positives/negatives as stated? Do you have some more to add? Leave your comments below.
The next post will have more to get your teeth into…
I’ve been tasked with reviewing the aim and focus of the ‘all-age talk’ or ‘children’s talk’ at the church where I serve as Youth Minister. We are a pretty conservative Baptist church with a fairly set form of service (affectionately known as a ‘hymn-prayer sandwich’). The Junior Church leave approximately half way through the service and head into their own groups for age-specific teaching. But before they go we have the mini-talk which is aimed at them.
For a few years there has been confusion over the title and aim of this talk. Some refer to it as the ‘children’s talk’ and argue that it should be aimed at the children (4-12 years?) with others calling it an ‘all-age talk’ which should be aimed at everyone present (0-90ish?). It was primarily this issue (the name and focus of the talk) that it is my challenge to resolve. But as I scratch the surface of the issue it feels very much like opening Pandora’s box.
Whichever understanding you have of its purpose, in reality the talk rarely hits the mark. Frequently too long, rarely engaging, sometimes indecipherable even to the most switched-on people present, regularly pitched nowhere in particular and occasionally seen as an opportunity to say something to the adult church that you’ve been wanting to say for a while but could never find the right place or time.
There is little doubt that the initial thought/aim was to make the first part of the service more interesting (you might even say bearable?) for the children & young people. I’m sure it was well intentioned – but we’re still a long way off achieving that. Our approach to involving children and young people is very tokenistic (we also ‘allow’ the young people to collect the offering). Clearly something must be done.
At present, at the very least (in my opinion) we need to:
- firmly establish the aim & focus of the slot
- provide training to volunteers on the rota
- produce guidelines & practical advice to assist volunteers in their preparations
- provide feedback to volunteers after each slot with the aim of helping them to improve (not to knock them down)
However, I think a far more radical approach is called for (gasp!). But I’ve said enough for now.
Over to you…
Do you have any thoughts/comments/wisdom to share? Please take a minute or two to describe how you engage children & young people in your services, and if you have any nuggets of wisdom to share – positive (‘this works well…’) or negative (‘here’s how not to do it!’).
This is the start of a series of posts around the issue of inclusion of children and young people in worship.
As I review the current practice at my church and seek to find appropriate developments, I will be blogging my thoughts, comments, concerns and questions in the hope that it will aid my reflection, help to document my progress and allow others to join the conversation and share their wisdom.
Proposed instalments:
- The Children’s Talk: Critiquing Current Practice
- Segregated for Worship
- Encouraging Children to Worship
- Possible Solutions: Options for Worship
- All-Age Worship: The Holy Grail
- Questions along the way
Please feel free to share your thoughts and experiences, to disagree with me, and to join the conversation along the way…
Born at 00:58 on 22nd November 2009 to proud parents Tracy & Ricky, and weighing in at 8lb 5oz. Following a long and difficult day of labour, Isaac still didn’t want to be delivered. At 11:30 it was decided to take Tracy into the operating theatre and attempt a forceps delivery, but it was unsuccessful, so Isaac was delivered by Caesarean Section.
Mother and baby are doing very well.
These are the links I’ve bookmarked recently on Delicious [November 17th to November 18th]:
- Online Bible Study Tools – Search Gateway to Resources – BibleStudyTools.com is the largest free online Bible website for verse search and in-depth studies.
- 500 Internal Server Error – 500 Internal Server Error
- Reel Life Wisdom – About Reel Life | Reel Life Wisdom – for inspiration-seeking movie quote lovers. It features the popular Movie Quote Directory, a collection of over 2,300 hand-picked quotes from films across the ages. Site users can search for great quotes by movie title, actor, and/or year.
Latest developments from Pip:
- Mummy & Daddy tried to entice me out today by buying a bigger car & apparently I get the whole back seat to myself (and most of the boot) #
- They are collecting the car on Friday – maybe I’ll wait until then before I start my journey ;o) #
- So, this is it… According to the schedule – today’s the day!! #
- Right – I’m off with Mummy & Daddy to the Doctor for a final check-up. #
- Doctor says everything is fine – I’m now 4/5 engaged and Mummy’s uterus has dropped (which is a good thing). Almost on my way! #
- I hear the weather out there is pretty dodgy, but it’s warm and snug in here. Can’t think of a good enough reason to come out there yet! x #
- Mummy says that she is able to list a ton of them though, if I’m interested ;o) #
Latest developments from Pip:
- Just testing mobile updates – not long now until we’ll be updating from the hospital! #
- I’ve not even been born yet and you can already buy a Pip converter! – http://ping.fm/p/XdPF6 #
- Latest Stats: I should now measure about 51cm (20 in) from head to toe and weigh about 3.4kg (7.4 lbs) which means I’m ready for delivery! #
- My amniotic fluid used to be clear but is now pale and milky; I’ve been shedding the white vernix caseosa which has been protecting my skin. #
- Mummy just felt a twinge! Hope it’s the start of something big!! #
- My due date is just one week today!! How exciting… See you all soon. I do my best to keep updating you through the labour & delivery. #
- So the twinge turned out to be nothing at all. Shame – I was looking forward to my journey ;o) #
- Apparently only five per cent of babies are born on their scheduled due date – for Mummy’s sake, I plan to be one of them!! #
- I’m so big now that I keep getting my feet caught up in Mummy’s ribs – she lets me know it makes her uncomfortable and I try to move around. #
- Could this be my last weekend in Mummy’s tummy? I certainly hope so!!! All the hard work is about to pay off… #
- I love you Mummy… Thank you… x #
These are the links I’ve bookmarked recently on Delicious [October 26th to November 4th]:
- Milton Keynes Safeguarding Childrens Board – Milton Keynes Safeguarding Children Board (MKSCB) is a statutory multi-agency group of senior managers which has been set up as part of the Every Child Matters reforms, and requires all organisations that work with children to co-operate to keep children safe from harm.
The MKSCB agrees how local services and professionals should work together to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.
At the heart of establishing the MKSCB is the desire to provide useful information and a user-friendly tool that will aid professionals, volunteers, children, young people, and their families to ensure safeguarding is everyone's business.
- 500 Internal Server Error – 500 Internal Server Error
- ‘Crash’ Director Paul Haggis Ditches Scientology – New York News – "I am only ashamed that I waited this many months to act. I hereby resign my membership in the Church of Scientology."
Latest developments from Pip:
- Apparently my organ systems are now fully developed and in place – strange as Mummy & Daddy aren’t musical. #
- My lungs will be last thing to reach maturity. Even after I’m born, it may take a few hours before I establish a normal breathing pattern. #
- Hmmm – am I a boy or a girl? Place your bets please… [everyone else seems to be convinced one way or the other] #
- Mummy & Daddy are off to see the midwife to discuss a birth plan. #
- I now weigh between 3kg and 3.2kg (that’s 6.6 lbs to 7 lbs). #
- Right – just over a week left in here. I’ve been reading the schedule and am planning to be on time. #
