We get mail

We’ve received several notes recently about The Present Word. Here is what some users are saying:

“... We have about 28 students on the roll with most Sundays having an attendance that averages 20 per meeting. I thank you for consistently high quality and
interesting student essays and teacher assistance material.”
Garnett Briggs, Grace Presbyterian,
Temple, Texas.

“The lessons on Revelation were great. I find the use of marker and newsprint very difficult to do with adults ... They make comments like they think they are in grammar school.”
Marge Mitchell, Keokuk, Iowa.

“... As a group we have enjoyed using this curriculum for several years. Our class is one of four adult classes in our Sunday school and we are advertised as ‘the Bible study’ class ... Keep up your good work!”
Jack Sturgeon, Christian Church of Arlington Heights,
Arlington Heights, Illinois.

How can I get help with planning my program?

Your presbytery resource center has samples of many resources and skilled persons to help you connect with what you need. To locate the address and phone number of the resource center nearest you, check your Presbyterian Planning Calendar or the Resource Center Web site.

Presbyterians Organized in Nurture and Teaching (POINT) representatives work closely with resource centers and have special expertise in helping your church with its educational program and curriculum selection.
You can connect with the POINT representative in your area by contacting your presbytery, your resource center or by calling Candace Hill, (888) 728-7228, ext. 5166.

Idea Exchange

Congregations Share What Has Worked

Children in Worship
I was sitting in church recently with my dad and we noticed a bright yellow brochure in the back of the pew in front of us. It said:
The Child in the Pew
What Is that Child Doing?
I was intrigued enough to pick up the brochure and read it . (Apologies to my pastors, but I missed most of the sermon!) The brochure is modeled on a similar one from the Presbyterian Church in Danville, Kentucky.

The brochure began with several interesting paragraphs:

“Children are welcome and encouraged to be in worship at Central Presbyterian Church.

“Bringing children into the sanctuary is something like letting them eat at the dinner table: even though their manners can be far from elegant, it’s done in the hope that they are a valued and important part of the family.

“Children giggle, poke, and swing their legs, simply
because they are children. But they also sing, pray and
give with us.

“So this pamphlet is written to suggest that we adults
should accept—even value—a child’s restlessness in
worship, trusting that they are also learning.”

The brochure goes on to give details about what to expect out of children in worship. It has a section on what is going on in the child’s educational life, and specific information about the church’s offerings for children.

ABCs for Parents and Other Adults

Arrive in time to find a good place to sit. Make sure children’s physical needs are met before worship begins.
Bring something for little ones to hold or look at — children’s worship bags are available at the entrances to the sanctuary.
Contribute visibly in worship by singing, praying, making an offering, responding. You are a role model in all that you do.
Direct children to locate the hymns and scripture lessons before worship begins.
Exhibit joy and enthusiasm in your own worship. The children will notice.
Find ways to appreciate families and children with whom you worship.

Then I read these words:

“Bringing your child to worship may be a real exercise in aggravation. So are many other facets of good parenting [that] we manage to get through. We must remember that children are part of Christ’s church, and they must be among the people who worship God. They may not
participate just the way adults do, but they are growing in understanding and learning to take their places in the church family. Young children may be wriggly and noisy, but it is their birthright as Christians to worship. Our
satisfaction comes in later years when we see them stand in our midst with a faith of their own.”

Sitting next to my dad that Sunday morning, I thought of so many Sundays as a child sitting in worship. I would watch my dad preach or I would wiggle around the metal chairs or pass notes. I grew up knowing that the church was not only God’s home, but mine too. As I sat there, I
gave thanks to God for all the adults who loved me into the church. They were patient with my inattention and encouraged my attention with love. They loved children enough to let us be part of the worshiping community. For me it made a difference.

Send us your ideas?

Tell us your plans for celebrating Advent and Christmas. Do you have a great idea for Epiphany? How do you recognize and celebrate Black History Month in your church? We want to hear about these and any other ideas you have to share for our winter issue. We want this magazine to be a vehicle for congregations to exchange ideas that are working well in their churches.

Call Michael Purintun,
(888) 788-7228, ext. 5192

- Files marked with this icon can be downloaded in printable Adobe Acrobat format. This file requires the free Acrobat Reader. For best results, right-click the link (or click and hold for Macintosh), select " save target as" and save the document to your desktop for viewing and printing.