To Worship the Child Like a Child

I love the way our church is truly a community. We gather around and reach across demographics to include the oldest and the youngest in our congregation. To our oldest, we look for wisdom and experience and to our youngest, we offer our church as a safe place to grow and learn. We make space for these things in our worship, and there are times when some things we do as a congregation are [seemingly] for the benefit of one demographic in particular. And yet. And yet.

1. Keeping watch. Each week during Advent, we’ve “hidden” a lamb in the Sanctuary and encouraged our kids to find it. It has been a “Where’s Waldo” kind of way to remind us to wait and watch for the coming Lamb. Our kids get to have fun with a “game” of sorts, but I need those physical reminders to connect my brain to what my heart needs, too. Looking. Watching. Waiting. Seeing. The Lamb.

2. Joining in. At the 3:30 and 5:30 services on Christmas Eve we invite children [of all ages!] to be part of the Christmas story by dressing up as their favorite Nativity character. So, dig through your dress up bins and pull out your finest! Or, just come as you are — dressed in God’s grace and mercy as a loved and forgiven child of God! During the reading of Luke, Erin will invite those who are dressed up to rise when their character enters the story. We participate here by physically taking on the story of being there at Jesus’ birth. Of dressing up and standing up as we enter into the story. As grown ups, how might we engage in this form of worship – where we are fully – heart and mind – entering in to God’s story of love and rescue and redemption?

3. Giving gifts. Also at the Christmas Eve services we get to gather and give gifts to infants and children in our area – in much the same way that the wise men gave gifts to the Baby King. So, join us by donating a new, unwrapped item from the following list to be given to Doorways for Women and Children:

Child teething soothing gel
Children’s Benadryl
Children’s cough/cold medication
Infant cold/cough medication
Infant gripe water
Baby body wash
Baby oil
Diaper cream
Baby powder
Baby shampoo
Children’s toothbrushes
Children’s toothpaste
Baby bottles (Avent plastic or glass (any brand)
Nipples for baby bottles-med. Flow and heavy flow
Sippy cups for children, with lids

As we celebrate the never-changing, always and forever story of God’s gift – Emmanuel – join us in really living the story this year. It is through the eyes of a child that we just might see The Child anew.

Come, let us adore Him!

-Louise-