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Donna Murray
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13/12/2008 09:03 |
I think we generally encourage everyone to choose whether to join in with a song or worship activity (say, pray together) but then at times asking the children specifically to join in a song or do an activity is important too. I hope the children are having a good time with God whether they are playing with toys or singing a 'kids worship song' that they have been asked to join in!
I have loved seeing some of the dance routines that the children perform sometimes - this is so good because then we all get a chance to join in - and I don't feel silly to dance for God if all the children are too! Maybe we should remember what other times have been good for involving everyone in worshiping together? Any ideas?
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Chiquita Rajawasam
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13/12/2008 17:47 |
Interesting ,why do you think it is important to ask the children to join in an activity that they don't like, but the adult thinks they should like?
Children hear a lot while playing and don't always enjoy so called kids worship songs - a previous generation of children may have. Are we a church of the 21st century where children are concerned? Are you aware that even in schools children are losing interest in singing?
Why do you feel more comfortable dancing when the children are doing so?
Of course it's great when they children are asked to join in and they agree because they want to, but what about those children who don't feel comfortable - we are all different and so are the children.
Children enjoy activities where they are not on display ( unless their personality enjoys this), where they are doing things along with adults like crafts and not made to feel different.
The children loved doing the skeleton because all the adults joined in and they were not made to feel different but made to feel ,that they belonged. The children enjoyed this because Dave got them enthused by the activity so they were drawn in rather than dragged in.
The children who agreed to dance on the stage loved it ,as the adults supported them and joined in. A few children were allowed to opt out of this activity as they felt uncomfortable which was fair as a few adults opted out of participating as well. This worship was child/peer directed rather than adult imposed and worked well.
I'm sure with time I could think of other successful examples of almost everyone, worshipping together.
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Rosie Hoy
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12/01/2009 22:31 |
Interesting Debate.
I'm interested in Chiquita's question about asking chidren to do things they don't like. Are is it your children or the children you serve in kids work that you have noticed not enjoying something someone leading a meeting has asked them to do?
I agree that children often don't like to be "on display" and can feel pressured to perform.
From my perspective Bethea likes singing wherever she is and she likes "my god is so big". Recently on Sunday mornings she has said to me "singing" in a way that showed she aproved and then something like "big God" or "daddy God" in the next breath which I find really exiting that she is connecting what we do at church with the man who paints the sky.
I totally agree with your Idea that children enjoy doing things (that they can understand) with adults and it seems slightly abusive and out of the idea of worship that children should be doing things for adults. I do hope that when we encorage children to worship we don't make them feel that hey have to perform.
However I feel that sometimes adults need the pointy stick sort of encoragement when it comes to worship sometimes because we need to stir ourselves and use a type of self control only adults have. It's a long way off for me but I wonder how soon it will be for you that you will have to start encoraging your sons to take this grown-up aproach? A few years yet perhaps.
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Chiquita Rajawasam
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30/01/2009 20:01 |
Sorry, it wouldn't be right to discuss individal children in this environment but I am looking beyond my own children - having worked with all 4 children'sgroups.
I'd be happy to continue this discussion on a one-to-one though.
Children do worship at home through songs and comments etc - they are truly able to worship in any environment.
Is it true worship if you do it because you are made to do it ,rather than doing it solely for God?
I hope grown up worship is way more than what you have decribed in your last paragraph. I think children often have a more mature approach to worship because they are natural, genuine and not limited to environment or style. Perhaps we should we be learning from them?
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