| Beginning
at age four and going up to grade 5, the following “milestones”
are celebrated. Each involves a class or meeting that includes
parents/guardians and children.
The purpose is to learn why we do these things, and to help
the children understand the meaning behind things, like the
Lord’s Prayer. This is often as much a time of discovery
for the adults as it is for the children. This is one of the
great beauties of Milestones!
Age
4 | Kindergarten | Grade 1
| Grade 2 | Grade 3 | Grade
4 | Grade 5
4 years: Presentation
of a Bible storybook. This is a great time to remind
parents of the promises made at baptism/dedication. These little
children cannot yet read. During the worship service, parents
are charged with the responsibility and joy of sharing the stories
of God’s people with the little person in their lives.
This is done in front of the congregation. Older children and
adults are also reminded of their role as teachers and examples
to these little ones. God has called us to truly be their brothers
and sisters, even if they do not live in our homes.
Kindergarten:
Learn the Lord’s Prayer and its meaning. The congregation
is led in saying the Lord’s Prayer. We talk about how
it is one way to pray all together, but it is not the only way
to pray. It is important for the children and the adults to
understand what they are saying, in addition to being able to
repeat the words. After the service, the children are presented
with a special certificate commemorating the day.
Grade
1: Communion instruction. Participate in communion on
World Communion Sunday. We learn about Passover and how Jesus
changed that celebration. We talk about food and how important
it is to all celebrations we know, including birthdays. Once
the children have participated with the congregation in the
sacrament, they are presented with a special card and lapel
pin. Their names are in the bulletin that day.
Grade
2: Prayer and family devotions. Praying together and
looking to God for strength, comfort, and celebration is foundational
to the life of a Christian. Making time for conversation with
God becomes part of each day’s ritual, when families are
given the tools to make this time a habit. The Milestone for
grade 2 is based on prayer and family devotions. The purpose
is to provide families with tools and resources that will encourage
them to pray with and for each other on a regular basis. Children
in the second grade are old enough to begin a rich prayer life
of their own that will grow and mature as the child and the
child’s faith grows and matures. In class we learn about
prayer: what it is, and why it is important. Ideas and resources
for praying together as a family are offered, and a prayer journal
is given to each child to use at home over the course of a month.
(Most habits can be established in about three weeks.) On Sunday,
the children are recognized in worship and presented with a
certificate commemorating the day.
Grade
3: Presentation of Bibles on Children’s Sabbath. During
the class “Bible and Me” we learn how the Bible
got its name and its parts, and also practice using the Bible.
Another important part of the class is talking about why we
need to know what is in this “library.” What does
God’s Word have to do with the lives we live on a daily
basis?
Bibles are presented by parents/guardians during worship. Children
face the congregation; adults face their children.
The following liturgy is used:
Leader: Today we celebrate a special
event: the presentation of Bibles to you, our third-graders.
When children are baptized, promises are made. Parents promise
to help their children learn to know and love Jesus. Members
of the congregation promise to help and support families to
grow in faith. Today we take another step in keeping those
promises.
Parents: As you have grown from
little children to third-graders, your ability to read and
know God’s Word is also growing. We have looked forward
to this day.
Leader: This is a day to be celebrated.
The Bible contains wonderful stories to share—from excitement
to sadness. The Bible tells us of the people of God, and the
love that God has given to the people since the beginning
of time. The Bible tells us our “family stories”
and helps us to see our place in God’s world.
As you explore, learn, and discover your Bible, it is our
hope that you will not only be reading of happenings long
ago in a land far away, but will also be able to see that
God’s Word helps us today and every day.
Third-Graders: We are excited to
reach this milestone and to have our own Bible to read and
learn from. We will look to you to help answer our questions.
Parents: We are still learning
and have many questions. Let us try learning together!
Congregation: We, too, are still
learning and have many questions. Let us help one another!
Leader: All of us are growing in
the faith. We will grow together, by the grace of God.
Leader: Parents, you now may place
the Word of God in the hands of your children.
(Adults then give the Bible to their child.)
Prayer: God, we thank you for this
day and for these children. We ask that your love surround
them and those who guide and teach them. We pray that your
Word, placed in their hands today, will become as familiar
and necessary to them as their breathing in and breathing
out. Amen.
As part of this presentation, each child is given a handout
that has the favorite verses of the clergy, the DCE, and their
shepherds/Sunday school teachers.
(A cake reception is held between services.)
Grade
4: Stewardship and service. The primary purpose is to
help the children see the connection between what we learn in
church and our actions. Sharing and making a difference in people’s
lives are hallmarks of living a Christian life. I use the example
of a sports team that practices hard but never plays a game.
What we learn about God and Jesus are important foundations,
but there is more to being a Christian than just showing up
on Sunday morning. Sunday morning is our “practice”;
we play the game when we walk out of the church and into the
rest of our week. We talk about being cheerful givers and the
ways we can serve through our offerings and special gifts.
Each child is given a list of possible ways to serve others.
Each possibility must be age appropriate. If the service project
is one that will involve adults, it is clearly noted. Contact
information (who one calls to get involved) is provided. The
children are given two months to complete their projects.
On a specific Sunday, the children and what they have accomplished
are listed in the bulletin. The children are called forward
and presented with certificates commemorating the day. They
are recognized for their service, and the congregation is challenged
to “go and do likewise.”
Grade
5: Worship. So many times adults are uncomfortable having
children, even their own children, in worship. Children often
complain that worship is “boring” and that they
do not know what is happening. This Milestone is designed to
help counter some of this.
In class we use the Sunday morning bulletin to get a sense
of the liturgy. People are often surprised to discover that
there is a predictable pattern and flow to the liturgy, and
that there is a purpose to that pattern.
We learn the definitions of words, such as Doxology and Introit.
We talk about the lectionary and how Scriptures are chosen.
We also explore the hymnal and note that everything flows and
fits together.
Then the parents and their fifth-graders are invited to read
the New Testament lesson for the day and decide what one thing
they would tell others about that part of God’s Word on
that day. We talk about the role of the preacher and how her
job is to help the people think about God’s message to
God’s people through the sermon.
The next part of this Milestone is to have the children and
their teachers attend a worship service that is very different
from our own. This is a wonderful time, and the children come
away with great insights.
The final piece is that the fifth-graders create their own
worship service and lead it for the rest of the Sunday school
children and parents. They plan the prayers, the music, and
the message.
Finally, the fifth-graders are recognized in worship in front
of the congregation and presented with a certificate commemorating
the day. |
