Acts of Worship

I'm "just" a layperson who is involved in children's ministries, but I know at least one way to get a lively discussion going in a group of professional Christian educators. Ask whether young children should be in worship with the adults or in a separate "children's church" setting. And then stand back.

Whatever your church does about young children and worship, chances are that by the time they're in Sprouts, they're in worship with the adults. In some churches they'll even be serving as acolytes, communion stewards, or ushers. Unfortunately, some children enter Sprouts without much background, understanding, or experience in worship.

Sprouts is always a balancing act between actually doing covenant discipleship and making sure the children know and understand what worship and devotion are and how to do them. Children's lack of experience is a justice issue for adults to address. Sprouts should never serve as a Sunday school lesson or as an "educational" program. Yet if the children haven't experienced worship or don't understand what worship is and means, then it may be up to you as a Sprouts leader to integrate some worship experiences into the Sprouts time. This could include discussing/explaining the most recent worship service.

Invite the pastor to come to Sprouts for a Q&A session about worship or for a special Communion just for the Sprouts. Close the covenant time with litanies, special prayers, hymn singing, or other forms of worship (see suggested resources below).

Shari McCourt at Westminster UMC in Manchester, MD, has had success in having Sprouts attend church as a group on special occasions, such as Communion. It's up to you to discern your Sprouts' need in order to fulfill their covenant to do Works of Faith and Caring.

Suggested Resources

The Best of Holy Days & Holidays, Gaynell Bordes Cronin (Cincinnati: St. Anthony Messenger Press, 1997). Contains ready-to-use "prayer celebrations" for children for religious and secular holidays.

A Child Shall Lead: Children in Worship, John D. Witvliet, Editor. A sourcebook for Christian educators, musicians, and clergy. Contains excellent material, including a good annotated bibliography. (Choristers Guild and the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, http://www.choristersguild.org, 1999)

Sprouts in Wichita, KS From Linda Youngman, Director of Education Ministries, University United Methodist Church

"At University United Methodist Church, Wichita, we have settled on two 8-10 week sessions per year for Sprouts. The youth who were in our first session in spring 1997 are now in confirmation class. Their parents, mentors, and I credit Sprouts with the degree of readiness for their confirmation journey.

"Last year we began meeting with children and an adult leader from Brookside UMC and added College Hill UMC children and a leader this spring. One of the benefits of combining the groups is the broader range of family and economic backgrounds.

"In both the fall and spring sessions, our justice issue was violence/peace, with special emphasis this spring on gun violence in our community. On Palm Sunday we sponsored a Stop the Gun Violence March from the church to a site about a mile away, a vacant lot, where a member of the community had erected a cross representing each individual who was a victim of gun violence in Wichita this year. Along the route, many people expressed their love for us, encouraged us, and thanked us for taking a public stand against gun violence. Due to news coverage on two local TV stations, we were heard by thousands of people in our community.

"Other activities in Justice Time have included letter writing to TV stations and toy manufacturers, changing the ending to children's stories to a more peaceful solution, role playing ways to be peacemakers, and holding prayer vigils open to the community. We also have collected shoes that have attached to them a note or poem explaining how gun violence has affected the individual donating the shoes. The shoes and notes, along with others from across the U.S., were sent to the National Conventions of the Democratic and Republican Parties as a sign of our concern and as a plea for gun legislation to make our communities and schools safer places for children.

"Sometimes it's hard to involve children in justice acts that have a broad impact or that initiate change. These Sprouts have really done a super job of doing justice."

Let's Create a Sprouts Network

If you have a Sprouts group at your church, please let us know! "Sprouts" are popping up all over. What's happening at your church? Contact Steve Manskar at smanskar@gbod.org or 1-877-899-2780, ext. 1765. Tell us your good news or questions about Sprouts, or just let us know that you're a Sprouts gardener.

Edie Harris co-authored the book, Sprouts, with Shirley Ramsey (Discipleship Resources).