Prayground Activities for the September Lectionary:

Posted on August 28, 2017 by Christine H. • Leave a comment

Praygrounds, or dedicated areas in the worship space for children, are a wonderful new development many churches have added. But, what if you don’t have a dedicated space? We share our small sanctuary with another congregation, so a permanent area with furniture or baby equipment wasn’t an option for us. Instead, we use the empty … Continue reading →

Children's Sermons / Uncategorized

Inviting children to pass the peace

Posted on July 24, 2017 by Christine H. • 2 Comments

Since hearing Diana Butler Bass speak at CEF last October, I have been pondering her four-part “Agenda for Christian Formation.” Inspired by her book, Grounded, she suggests where and how people are searching for God: Spiritual Peace and Well Being Sense of Awe and Wonder about the Universe Deep Sense of Gratitude Engaging Meaning and Purpose of … Continue reading →

Children's Sermons / Welcoming All Families

Pastor Changes Part III: Welcoming the new pastor and their family

Posted on June 6, 2017 by Christine H. • Leave a comment

The first Sunday of July is often the first Sunday worshiping with the new pastor for United Methodist churches with a new appointment. The goal of children’s time on the first Sunday is to introduce children to the new pastor and to model generously welcoming new people to the congregation. For the following children’s message, … Continue reading →

Children's Sermons

Pastor Changes Part II: Goodbye to a Pastor

Posted on May 15, 2017 by Christine H. • Leave a comment

United Methodist pastors move around every few years in a system of itinerancy. As a staff member, I’ve witnessed my share of senior pastor transitions. In fact, we are in the midst of a change at my current church. While changing pastors is all very normal if you know the United Methodist system, children, youth … Continue reading →