One of the things I am most pleased about in my ministry is the creation of a Children's Sunday in our congregation. This is different from Youth Sunday, which we actually have two of, one known as Youth Sunday and one known as Massanetta/Montreat Sunday. These services are led by our teenagers, 6th-12th graders. Children's Sunday also happens twice a year, on the fifth Sundays, one in fall and one in spring. These worship services are led by our elementary aged children. We also invite children from the preschool to participate as all the ages are welcome to join in the music that is prepared with the Children's Music Director.
This worship service is about more than the children singing in worship. There is more to this than the Christmas Pageant (which is also fun). For several weeks the children work with their Sunday School Teachers to pick or discuss a theme for the service. Then they work to prepare prayers and liturgy for worship. I typically preach, but the children have responsibility for leading the congregation in the other parts of worship. Sometimes we bring their artwork upstairs or use it on the bulletin cover. Sometimes we carry in Children's Bibles and use a lectern built just for them.
I have worked really hard over the last few years to create an environment of welcome to children and families in worship. We have had worship bags and children's bulletins which actually coincide with the scriptures and service of the day. Most recently we have started having acolytes each Sunday. I've taken inspiration from other churches and created a card found in each pew with a welcome to parents to encourage them that it's okay to have wiggles or giggles in church. For three summers, children have been welcomed in worship without an additional children's worship held outside of the sanctuary. We try (although not so well this summer) to do special things to engage the kids during the service. I love Children's Worship or Chapel apart from the sanctuary up to a certain age and I think it is a vital time for their faith development. But, my reasons for this particular kind of service are multilayered.
1) Children will not know how to behave in worship if you don't invite them into worship. They will never learn or understand that church is not intended to be boring, stuffy, and for adults only if you do not cultivate a culture that encourages children to express their faith.
2) Children have something to say about God! Children know the stories, they listen and imagine the narratives of the Bible, and the wonder of it excites them in ways that we will miss if we don't allow them a space to share their own thoughts and beliefs! Do not discount them because they are young, this is in the Scriptures! We as adults can learn something from our children if we open our hearts to listen to them. It is also an opportunity to develop leadership skills in them that will benefit them in their future.
3) Children need to feel ownership of church life in the same ways that you do. When I hear teenagers or young adults talk about how they grew up racing through the halls and knew every nook and cranny of the church--that means something! It means they were welcomed there like a second home, they felt safe and loved. Their memories should not just be relegated to the "education wing" or the "Sunday School Room" they should feel like the sanctuary is theirs and worship belongs to them as believers too. Worship takes on a new meaning if you understand all of the effort that is put into it. And worship also means more if you feel like you have an important role to play.
4) Worship is not about you. Worship is not about you as the parishioner or about me as the pastor. Worship is not a performance for you to feel validated or comfortable. Worship is not an act performed by the pastor to keep you entertained. Worship is not even about you seeing those precious children and oohing and ahhing. It's not a parade. Worship is directed to God. We are worshiping the triune God through our words, through our music, through our offerings. In worship we explore, and we make meaning, and we glorify God. In all honesty, it takes all ages to make that happen. So, maybe it is uncomfortable for you to have children crying in the pew behind you. Maybe you get annoyed when the transitions between the hymns and the prayers take a little longer for the children to get into place. Maybe it is harder to see them or hear them. Maybe they talk too fast, maybe they read too slow. But, at least they are there and that is brave.
So, on September 30th at 10:30 AM, I extend a special invitation to you, to witness people of all ages giving glory to God, being led by the children. I encourage you not to dismiss it outright. I encourage you to come and be present as you would any other Sunday and bear witness to the Holy Spirit moving in and through the priesthood of all believers.
Wednesday, September 26, 2018
Thursday, September 20, 2018
Preschool Chapel Returns
There are parts of my vocation that are such a privilege I can hardly believe it is my good fortune to be serving. Every Wednesday morning I get to lead chapel for the Covenant Presbyterian Preschool children. This is not a "have to" this is a "get to".
Imagine 60+ kids from babies to 5 years old in a room together. It is cahrazy! And honestly in the 20 minutes I have with them--I keep their wholehearted attention for about 5 minutes.
They are snotty sometimes. And wrinkled sometimes. And cranky sometimes. But they parade up the stairs or run off the elevator and they are charming.
We sing songs together! We get our wiggles out with "If you're happy and you know it" and "This Little Light of Mine." They shout AMEN so loud it rattles the chandelier.
We've done all kinds of things over the last few years. We have put on costumes and acted out stories from Noah's Ark to Pentecost.
One year we used Godly Play and we heard and watched the story being told in a variety of ways. We've flung more sand from the sandbox than we ever thought possible.
We have been in the sanctuary where we have heard that the pews are "as old as your grandmother." We have learned about advent and lent. We have looked inside the baptismal font and had bread and juice in the fellowship hall as we learned about communion.
We've traipsed outside and danced in the parking lot and used our bodies to spell HOPE and LOVE.
We've done scavenger hunts with the wise men that guided us to the star at Christmas. We've heard that big word, RESURRECTION, right before our Easter egg hunt!
This year, we will use some of our Sunday School materials from the Deep Blue Curriculum to hear our stories. Yet another way to engage our senses in learning about the stories of God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit.
You have to be careful what questions you ask of them. You never know what they will say or how your question might set them into a flurry of chatter. But,we always end our time together in prayer where they diligently repeat after me.
My new stamp pad is ready, a cross stamp picked out-- a sign on their hands as God seals their hearts.
I feel like a part of the team now when I greet those teachers and their children each week. The kids make me feel welcome too. Hearing, "Pastor Loren" called out down the hallway is always a highlight of my day.
Imagine 60+ kids from babies to 5 years old in a room together. It is cahrazy! And honestly in the 20 minutes I have with them--I keep their wholehearted attention for about 5 minutes.
They are snotty sometimes. And wrinkled sometimes. And cranky sometimes. But they parade up the stairs or run off the elevator and they are charming.
We sing songs together! We get our wiggles out with "If you're happy and you know it" and "This Little Light of Mine." They shout AMEN so loud it rattles the chandelier.
We've done all kinds of things over the last few years. We have put on costumes and acted out stories from Noah's Ark to Pentecost.
One year we used Godly Play and we heard and watched the story being told in a variety of ways. We've flung more sand from the sandbox than we ever thought possible.
We have been in the sanctuary where we have heard that the pews are "as old as your grandmother." We have learned about advent and lent. We have looked inside the baptismal font and had bread and juice in the fellowship hall as we learned about communion.
We've traipsed outside and danced in the parking lot and used our bodies to spell HOPE and LOVE.
We've done scavenger hunts with the wise men that guided us to the star at Christmas. We've heard that big word, RESURRECTION, right before our Easter egg hunt!
This year, we will use some of our Sunday School materials from the Deep Blue Curriculum to hear our stories. Yet another way to engage our senses in learning about the stories of God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit.
You have to be careful what questions you ask of them. You never know what they will say or how your question might set them into a flurry of chatter. But,we always end our time together in prayer where they diligently repeat after me.
My new stamp pad is ready, a cross stamp picked out-- a sign on their hands as God seals their hearts.
I feel like a part of the team now when I greet those teachers and their children each week. The kids make me feel welcome too. Hearing, "Pastor Loren" called out down the hallway is always a highlight of my day.
Thursday, September 13, 2018
The Music Makes It
This week I'm giving a nod....no a standing O, to the music ministry of the church. I do not know how they do it! But I know this, music is the heart of worship; it calms hearts, it joins voices, it lends words and interpretation when we do not know what else to speak. It glorifies.
A pipe organ is an ancient instrument and it is beautiful. Even though I love contemporary music and the use of varieties of instruments in worship, I cannot imagine worship without an organ. You know what is even more beautiful than a perfectly functioning organ (ours will get there again), the person who plays it. The art of being an organist is a true gift and I almost wonder if organists shouldn't be on an endangered species list of some sort. Covenant is truly blessed to have hit the proverbial jackpot in Krista. A multi-talented woman who is dedicated to her craft and the fulfillment of worship through music.
Here's the thing--I don't play an instrument--and as much as I would like to learn guitar, I just don't think I have the time or patience at this juncture in life to learn. But I have so much respect for any musician. It is amazing to me! I've been in choirs before--I can kind of read music...but to be able to look at a piece of paper and bring those notes to life, amazing! Covenant has so many talented musicians. You know what, they don't have to share their musical talents with us. But they do--they recognize the God given gifts and they give back to God with their music. Ultimately the playing is not for us, it is for God. And for bells, pianos, drums, saxophones, harps, guitars, flutes...on and on....God too gives thanks, I am convinced.
To be part of a congregational choir is a special thing. To work together in harmony can be challenging. All of that "togetherness" to create a magical sound is hard work, and it creates bonds. I know it does because I've witnessed it in my home church with my mother, and in every church I have served. A choir becomes a family. To lift your voice loud enough for the world to hear, well to me that is just plain brave. Some people say to me, "well I could never preach." I might respond, "well I could never sing in front of everyone." That's not entirely true, I could, if you hog tied me....but it isn't my special gift. So I respect the power of singing, and I hold it like a fragile egg.
Now, can you imagine someone who lives music as if it is as natural as breathing? To me, that's Richard. He sings, he plays, he teaches, he directs--give the man his own show! The gift of Richard though isn't really his musical talents--it's the way he is a faithful servant of God using music as a vehicle. People at Covenant don't just love Richard because of his gifts, they love him because he shows love, respect, and support to them. He may joke around a lot, but his love of the Lord is deep and his compassion for people is wide. Just watch him work with children and teens, as much as any minister, he lives his vocation.
Do you want to know a secret? I dislike picking hymns. Many a time I have asked Richard to pick them for me. I dislike picking hymns because I feel inadequately prepared to make musical selections with my limited knowledge. Luckily, if I do a poor job, Richard tells me! But what I do enjoy is hearing the notes echo in a reverent room. I love it when a choir brings the Word with a spiritual, or when a pianist plays a familiar tune with the softest of touch. While worship is directed to God and not a performance for us--it would be rather dull to my thinking without voices melding together or music reverberating in the rafters. That is just the tradition in which I was raised.
So today, a standing O for the ministers of music--and all of the talent, the joy, and the love they possess for God, for one another, and for the church they make a home.
A pipe organ is an ancient instrument and it is beautiful. Even though I love contemporary music and the use of varieties of instruments in worship, I cannot imagine worship without an organ. You know what is even more beautiful than a perfectly functioning organ (ours will get there again), the person who plays it. The art of being an organist is a true gift and I almost wonder if organists shouldn't be on an endangered species list of some sort. Covenant is truly blessed to have hit the proverbial jackpot in Krista. A multi-talented woman who is dedicated to her craft and the fulfillment of worship through music.
Here's the thing--I don't play an instrument--and as much as I would like to learn guitar, I just don't think I have the time or patience at this juncture in life to learn. But I have so much respect for any musician. It is amazing to me! I've been in choirs before--I can kind of read music...but to be able to look at a piece of paper and bring those notes to life, amazing! Covenant has so many talented musicians. You know what, they don't have to share their musical talents with us. But they do--they recognize the God given gifts and they give back to God with their music. Ultimately the playing is not for us, it is for God. And for bells, pianos, drums, saxophones, harps, guitars, flutes...on and on....God too gives thanks, I am convinced.
To be part of a congregational choir is a special thing. To work together in harmony can be challenging. All of that "togetherness" to create a magical sound is hard work, and it creates bonds. I know it does because I've witnessed it in my home church with my mother, and in every church I have served. A choir becomes a family. To lift your voice loud enough for the world to hear, well to me that is just plain brave. Some people say to me, "well I could never preach." I might respond, "well I could never sing in front of everyone." That's not entirely true, I could, if you hog tied me....but it isn't my special gift. So I respect the power of singing, and I hold it like a fragile egg.
Now, can you imagine someone who lives music as if it is as natural as breathing? To me, that's Richard. He sings, he plays, he teaches, he directs--give the man his own show! The gift of Richard though isn't really his musical talents--it's the way he is a faithful servant of God using music as a vehicle. People at Covenant don't just love Richard because of his gifts, they love him because he shows love, respect, and support to them. He may joke around a lot, but his love of the Lord is deep and his compassion for people is wide. Just watch him work with children and teens, as much as any minister, he lives his vocation.
Do you want to know a secret? I dislike picking hymns. Many a time I have asked Richard to pick them for me. I dislike picking hymns because I feel inadequately prepared to make musical selections with my limited knowledge. Luckily, if I do a poor job, Richard tells me! But what I do enjoy is hearing the notes echo in a reverent room. I love it when a choir brings the Word with a spiritual, or when a pianist plays a familiar tune with the softest of touch. While worship is directed to God and not a performance for us--it would be rather dull to my thinking without voices melding together or music reverberating in the rafters. That is just the tradition in which I was raised.
So today, a standing O for the ministers of music--and all of the talent, the joy, and the love they possess for God, for one another, and for the church they make a home.
Friday, September 7, 2018
What I love about Sundays
This is probably not something the majority of readers would consider on a regular basis....what a pastor might love about Sundays.... and not because we only work one day a week! Sundays are a beast for pastors (at least speaking for myself) and we spend our entire week preparing for this one day (among dozens of other irons in the fire at any given time) only to find that when it is done we must gear up for the next Sunday.
There is no such thing as a lazy Sunday in my household. From the moment my eyes pop open the wheels in my mind are turning. Sunday morning, or church, has a lot of moving parts for me. I have to get ready, get there, and get started. I used to be better about thinking through Sunday mornings before they actually arrived, but then I became a mother. Now, I see check-lists in the mirror while I'm painting my face. Pouring a bowl of cereal may remind me that we are taking up a hunger offering. The flurry of activity begins from the moment I pull into the parking lot. Review the bulletin, put my hands and eyes on my portions of the service. Go downstairs and greet folks as Sunday School gets going. See to whatever responsibilities I have in that hour (often teaching). Rush upstairs, get robe. Again, put hands and eyes on bulletin, prayers, sermon etc. By this time my mind is in total overdrive. Where's the acolyte? Are the Bible passages marked? Oh, right, Hunger offering--where are those bags? Greet the greeters, peek at the prayers, check the clock. Listen to stories from parishioners, answer questions, don't forget the microphone. Chime the hour, entry of the word, walk. Worship begins. By the way, it is HARD to worship when you're a pastor with responsibilities. At least for me, I have to will myself to slow down and enjoy those moments. My afternoons after lemonade and cookies might have fellowship events or evening meetings. Those are long days but in the end, rewarding. Because despite this review of my frazzled feelings on Sunday mornings, there are things I love about Sundays!
I love being with the children on Sunday mornings. I love when they walk in with sleepy jacks in their eyes and tell me about their week at school or what they did on Saturday. It is so fun to watch them come together and talk, run around, and laugh. It doesn't really matter what their ages are--somehow they all welcome each other. When their voices come together in song--stronger as they become more confident, I love that.
I love popping my head in the door of the youth room and seeing the teenagers engaging in conversation. I love when their teachers come and tell me about an ah-ha moment they've had. It delights me to watch them shuffle over to serve as greeters, livening up as they welcome people into the sanctuary. It has nothing to do with me at all, but my heart bursts when they serve as ushers in worship.
I love when everything goes smoothly in worship. I love when all of the liturgy, music, scripture, and sermon speak to each other. We work very hard to provide a space for that to happen in ways that are meaningful. The caveat here is that it almost never happens. I forget something, or flub something, or someone else does. But this is good. It is good to remember that we are all imperfect! It is good to remember that worship does not have to be stuffy, silent, or perfected in order to glorify God.
I love when people stay to visit after worship, to gather around the snacks provided, to linger in conversation. It is a lovely way to greet people, to have those brief conversations about upcoming events, prayer concerns, etc. I enjoy hearing adults supporting one another, finding common ground and becoming friends. In fact, I love all the opportunities where people can come together like this, classrooms, committees, lunches and dinners. The church is the community within, not the building.
And after that, I love going home! I love the rare afternoons when we can all take long naps!
I love nights with session meetings. I do not love session meetings. I do not love that they are often long and my brain shuts down at 8:00 PM. But I do love the camaraderie that only those of us privileged to be in the room get to see. I love to witness respectful, thoughtful dialogue by dedicated members of the church. More than anything, I love the moments of laughter wedged in between the mundane.
And after that, I love going home! I love eating a bowl of cereal over the counter, putting on my PJs and collapsing into bed to read my book for five minutes before I pass out. Then it's Monday. I get up and start the cycle all over again. Sunday comes quick, I love that.
There is no such thing as a lazy Sunday in my household. From the moment my eyes pop open the wheels in my mind are turning. Sunday morning, or church, has a lot of moving parts for me. I have to get ready, get there, and get started. I used to be better about thinking through Sunday mornings before they actually arrived, but then I became a mother. Now, I see check-lists in the mirror while I'm painting my face. Pouring a bowl of cereal may remind me that we are taking up a hunger offering. The flurry of activity begins from the moment I pull into the parking lot. Review the bulletin, put my hands and eyes on my portions of the service. Go downstairs and greet folks as Sunday School gets going. See to whatever responsibilities I have in that hour (often teaching). Rush upstairs, get robe. Again, put hands and eyes on bulletin, prayers, sermon etc. By this time my mind is in total overdrive. Where's the acolyte? Are the Bible passages marked? Oh, right, Hunger offering--where are those bags? Greet the greeters, peek at the prayers, check the clock. Listen to stories from parishioners, answer questions, don't forget the microphone. Chime the hour, entry of the word, walk. Worship begins. By the way, it is HARD to worship when you're a pastor with responsibilities. At least for me, I have to will myself to slow down and enjoy those moments. My afternoons after lemonade and cookies might have fellowship events or evening meetings. Those are long days but in the end, rewarding. Because despite this review of my frazzled feelings on Sunday mornings, there are things I love about Sundays!
I love being with the children on Sunday mornings. I love when they walk in with sleepy jacks in their eyes and tell me about their week at school or what they did on Saturday. It is so fun to watch them come together and talk, run around, and laugh. It doesn't really matter what their ages are--somehow they all welcome each other. When their voices come together in song--stronger as they become more confident, I love that.
I love popping my head in the door of the youth room and seeing the teenagers engaging in conversation. I love when their teachers come and tell me about an ah-ha moment they've had. It delights me to watch them shuffle over to serve as greeters, livening up as they welcome people into the sanctuary. It has nothing to do with me at all, but my heart bursts when they serve as ushers in worship.
I love when everything goes smoothly in worship. I love when all of the liturgy, music, scripture, and sermon speak to each other. We work very hard to provide a space for that to happen in ways that are meaningful. The caveat here is that it almost never happens. I forget something, or flub something, or someone else does. But this is good. It is good to remember that we are all imperfect! It is good to remember that worship does not have to be stuffy, silent, or perfected in order to glorify God.
I love when people stay to visit after worship, to gather around the snacks provided, to linger in conversation. It is a lovely way to greet people, to have those brief conversations about upcoming events, prayer concerns, etc. I enjoy hearing adults supporting one another, finding common ground and becoming friends. In fact, I love all the opportunities where people can come together like this, classrooms, committees, lunches and dinners. The church is the community within, not the building.
And after that, I love going home! I love the rare afternoons when we can all take long naps!
I love nights with session meetings. I do not love session meetings. I do not love that they are often long and my brain shuts down at 8:00 PM. But I do love the camaraderie that only those of us privileged to be in the room get to see. I love to witness respectful, thoughtful dialogue by dedicated members of the church. More than anything, I love the moments of laughter wedged in between the mundane.
And after that, I love going home! I love eating a bowl of cereal over the counter, putting on my PJs and collapsing into bed to read my book for five minutes before I pass out. Then it's Monday. I get up and start the cycle all over again. Sunday comes quick, I love that.
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