This past Sunday morning I took the Time With Children as an opportunity to work on the behaviors appropriate to church. Each week in Godly Play we remind them that “church is a special place to be with God… to speak with God… to listen to God… and to hear the stories of God.” We remind them that they can speak softly and walk quietly, so they do not disturb someone who might be trying to listen to God. The children are great at doing this upstairs in the Godly Play rooms, but we needed to repeat the lesson downstairs in Celebration.
So I talked about the importance of not disturbing others while they talk with God, and I showed them how we can walk quietly in church. A child shared a vivid and beautiful example: walk as if you were in the woods trying to follow a wild deer. You have to put your foot down softly so you don’t scare the deer away. All the children got up with me and we walked out together as if we were following the deer – quietly! Many of you (adults) who were sitting in the congregation showed your appreciation by laughing and clapping as the children went quietly out. I know this was in good nature, but as we went upstairs together, a small voice asked me sadly, “why did they laugh at us?” and my heart broke a little.
There are churches where laughter and applause are frowned upon, and I’m glad we are not one of those churches. We enjoy ourselves together at MPC. But I need to ask for your help with the children. If we want the children to behave solemnly and respectfully in church, we must begin by treating the children with respect and solemnity. If we ask them to learn self-control, we need to model it for them in our own attitudes. If a child makes a joke with conscious intention, by all means please do laugh. But if they are striving to be serious, and we are all tripping over their cuteness, please catch yourself and try instead to help them. God’s spirit can be as elusive as a deer within us, shy and quiet, rarely seen. Let’s all try together to create an atmosphere of reverence and awe in church, so the children can learn how to listen to God.
Every Blessing,
Talitha