A Season with Children in Leadership

I have a brother who is almost thirteen years younger than I am. When he was a little boy, he loved to explore the fields behind our house. Sometimes he invited me to come along. As he led the way into the brush, he looked back over his shoulder and said, “If you’re rugged, follow me!”

We follow a leader who calls us to do much the same thing. When Christ calls us to follow him, he expects a certain amount of ruggedness on our part. We follow Christ into a life of faith and do our best to be strong enough and brave enough and foolish enough to meet the challenges a life of faith brings.

Do you allow children to help you and your congregation follow Jesus? The season of Advent is a wonderful time to look to the children in your midst as leaders of faith. After all, as Isaiah 11:6 says, “... and a little child shall lead them.”

Try some of the ideas listed here and use the Lighting the Advent Candles with Children liturgy as you light your congregation’s Advent wreath. The four weeks of Advent can be a time to rejoice together in Christ’s first coming and anticipate with joy Christ’s coming again. “... and a little child shall lead them.”

Leading with art:

1. Ask children to illustrate your congregation’s Advent devotional booklet. Young children who might not be able to write a devotional entry can draw pictures that clearly communicate the message of a story.
2. Ask children to design your Advent bulletin covers. They can do this as part of Sunday school. Have the children use black markers. Photocopy all the drawings and print the bulletin information on the opposite sides.
3. Include children when you decorate your sanctuary for the season. Ask them to do a specific job. We once ran out of decorating activities to do before we ran out of time and a paper chain saved the day. The children loved chaining together strips of construction paper. We ended up with a chain that was long enough to string all the way across the balcony. With a little help, the children hung up the chain, too.

Leading in worship:

1. Ask children to serve as greeters for Sunday worship and special services. Teach them how to shake hands and the words to say to welcome others. Their natural exuberance will do the rest.
   
2. Ask children to light the candles on your church’s Advent wreath. They can do this with their families, but think about combining other groups of friends. What about a class and their teacher? An older adult and a child friend? Teach them how to do the lighting and use the microphone. Let them practice.
   
3. Ask children to read Scripture during worship. Prepare the lessons as readers’ theater selections. Younger children can learn a line by heart and repeat it at the appropriate time. Older children can read the passage right out of the lectern Bible. Help them prepare and give them time to practice.
   
4. Ask children to help you choose an Advent hymn to use for each of the Sundays of Advent. Take time to explain the words and teach the music to the children. Consider “We Light the Advent Candles,” no. 9 in LifeSongs Songbook. (LifeSongs Songbook and other LifeSongs resources can be ordered by calling Presbyterian Distribution Service (PDS), (800) 524-2612.

Leading with an intergenerational Advent workshop:

1. Obtain a copy of Things to Make & Do for Advent & Christmas and review the wealth of notes and age-appropriate activities for an intergenerational event. (Call PDS, (800) 524-2612 and order item #095520.)
2. Work with an intergenerational planning committee that includes children to choose activities your congregation will enjoy.
3. Involve the children in planning and leading the activities for everyone.

Finally, children who lead appreciate being treated with the same respect that you afford adults who lead. Give them clear instructions. Talk with them about your expectations.

Your expectations can be high but also appropriate. Help the children understand that they are responsible for leading their congregation. Help them practice and be prepared. Children who lead will not lead the same way that adults lead. Celebrate that and help your congregation appreciate the diversity of its leadership. We’re strong enough and brave enough and foolish enough to follow, together, the One who calls us — Jesus Christ our Lord.

This set of readings for the lighting of the Advent candles is based on texts from the Revised Common Lectionary, and is offered for general use with children in worship or at home. At successive lightings of the candles, all texts from the preceding lightings are read in addition to the text introduced that day.

At the beginning of each lighting of the candles:
We give thanks for the light of Christ, shining in the lives of all God’s people.

On the First Sunday of Advent, and at successive lightings:
With the prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah, we watch and wait for the coming of Christ who will bring light and peace to all the world.
Light the first candle.

On the Second Sunday of Advent, and at successive lightings:
With John the Baptist, we cry out in the wilderness:
“Prepare the way of the Lord!
Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”
Light the second candle.

On the Third Sunday of Advent, and at successive lightings:
With Mary, the mother of Jesus, we rejoice, for the Mighty One has done great things for us.
How holy is God’s name!
Light the third candle.

On the Fourth Sunday of Advent, and at successive lightings:
With Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John,
we tell the story of Jesus, the child of Bethlehem,
who came to save us, and is coming again in glory.
Light the fourth candle.

On the eve of Christmas, or on Christmas Day:
With the choirs of angels, we sing:
“Glory to God in the highest,
and peace to all people on earth!”
Light the center candle.

On each occasion the lighting of the candles may be concluded with the following song:
Sing to the tune of “Frère Jacques.”
The phrases in parentheses are echoed.
Light of Jesus (light of Jesus),
show the way (show the way).
Shine in us forever (shine in us forever);
this we pray (this we pray).