Children's Time of Worship - Sunday School

We will have Sunday School

I would think that many small churches like our Mennonite Church decided to omit both adult and children’s Sunday school today, Thanksgiving Sunday  in favour of early dismissal.  Forgoing the extra hour of service to allow extra time for traveling and/or for preparing the Thanksgiving meal for family and friends. 

Adult planning to accommodate adult needs

 

 The children who attended church this Sunday had a different plan.

When it became clear to them that Sunday School was being canceled they collectively said no and headed down stairs for their special time of fellowship together.  What could their parents do but follow and support them in their experience of faith.

As we followed our assertive, spiritually developing children one member of the congregation was overheard to say "they are just wanting to play". 

I took offense on behalf of the children and I wondered what part of the service this morning this person did not understand. 

The sermon was on living in a perpetual attitude of gratitude and thanksgiving. 

  

Our children were expressing their gratitude for having one more hour in which to be children of God in God’s house and they were doing this despite an adult decision to only spend one hour today in worship. 

They were not worried about the rest of the day.  They were not prepare to cut short their expression of gratitude and thanksgiving to create extra time in the day to be busy outside of God's house.  There was nothing more important to them in that moment than gathering together to play.

What did their play teach them today?

1. They learned to take turns as leaders.

2. They learned to share.

3. They learned to cooperate.

4. They learned to make music.

5. They created together.

6. They learned that their fellowship is important and today their voices were honored.

They learned to be children of God

Yes it was play and that is how they learn.  Today they learned about us their spiritual leaders and each other as they continued their journey to develop a sense of belonging within a community of faith.

Today I learned and I hope the planners of our worship time learned an important lesson the children’s time of worship is as important as our time of worship.  One should not take priority over the other or be cancelled.

Grandma Snyder