Three weeks out of four I teach children from kindergarten through fifth grade something called Worship Skills as part of our Wednesday after-school program. Unlike the very-clearly-prescribed curriculum our Bible Study classes used, I'm pretty much on my own for Worship Skills.
About once a month during the academic year, our kids will share worship leadership with something they've learned in Worship Skills. In the past, that's been a piece of music, either sung or using our kid-size handbells, or helping out as ushers/greeters/etc., or participating in a silly skit based on a Bible story. Last year, they sang, "I am a C" as their final worship offering...which is how I came to volunteer to teach this year.
I've been making lesson plans for our time together, and I've got some things planned that are almost embarrassing in their simplicity. First, we're working on learning the Lord's Prayer, since even some of my older kids don't know it. Confession time: I didn't know it until I was an adult, either, because no one worked with me to help me memorize it.
Our older kids will also begin working on the Apostle's Creed, another thing I didn't learn until very late. In addition, we're working on some fun songs and getting ready to start a project I'm very excited by: a worship banner for Advent. My plan is this: during October/November we'll begin talking about Advent and what it means, and then each group of children (there are 3 subgroups) will work on elements of this banner. Initially, I thought of using candles, like the Advent candles we light in worship, but I think instead I will design something based on the concept of journeying, drawing on Mary's journey to Bethlehem, the prophecies and angelic visitations leading up to Jesus' birth, and then our own faith journeys as we await Jesus' coming again into our own lives.
The plan is to have an element of the banner that the kids can add each week, and that it will be displayed in the sanctuary on Sundays and in our fellowship hall on Wednesdays so that they can see it. I've got the idea, but I can't picture it yet. Any ideas?
oh i think it sounds wonderful! absolutely hands-on wonderful!
ReplyDeletecan you "velcro" pieces on each week... uhm like if there's a long, winding road... you can add "town" one week, palm trees, a donkey, eventually you'll have plenty of other "manger animals"... stars in the sky, the angel...
velcro seems old school, but i can't think of another way to do it... at the moment.
if you have someone in your community who knows sign language... maybe they could learn to sign the lord's prayer and do that in worship. i've seen that and it's pretty cool... might help them learn it too.