Hope Church is excited that once again we will be gathering and worshiping together as a family throughout the year.  The Gatherings have been designated as a MOSAIC with ministry for children birth – kindergarten in the Early Childhood Center, and children grade 1 and above are with the adults in the gathering.   I can just imagine the smile on God’s face as people from age six to eighty-six are all together singing out their praises to our Lord and Savior!

We value intergenerational worship services.  MOSAICS at Hope Church are times of purposeful intergenerational worship.  Several times a year, as an entire church family, we join a Biblical tradition that dates back to the Old Testament times:  the generations worshiping and learning together.  Doing so emphasizes the unity of the church body and that character is formed in community - the young learn from the old that have become seasoned with the experiences of life, and the old learn from the young with their new exploration of life. 

Parents model. Parents teach their children by their own example the meaning and value of worship.  A child seeing how Mom or Dad bows their heads in earnest prayer during the prelude, or seeing how they sing praise to God with joy in their faces, and how they listen hungrily to His Word – those are all images that enable a child to catch the spirit of their parents meeting the living God.

Children Absorb.  Children absorb a tremendous amount that is of value.  The music and words become familiar.  The message of the music begins to sink in.  Even if they do not understand the entire sermon, experience shows that children hear and remember remarkable things.  The content of the prayers and songs and sermons gives you, the parent, an opportunity to teach your child the great truths of your faith.  Following the service ask questions, explain things, and share what was meaningful to you.  Doing this will greatly increase your child’s desire to listen.

What I can do to make this a positive experience for the entire family.

• Pray for yourself and your children to be in the right frame of mind and heart before coming to worship. (Not a bad idea to do every Sunday.) Pray this with your children.
• Prepare kids by speaking positively about worshipping as a family. Communicate that worshipping with them is a joy and privilege.
• Read the week’s Scripture passages together several times during the week.
• Listen to the Worship Songs throughout the week. Each week prior to a MOSAIC we send to parents the list of songs we will be singing.
• Sit upfront. Proximity encourages participation. It is difficult for children to pay attention to what is happening when they can’t see.
• Encourage kids to participate in worship. Most kids love to sing! Save the pencils, paper, and books for later.
• Let your child draw or write during the service. Children eavesdrop while doodling and often hear more than we think they do.  Their art can be very profound and reflect what they hear or something important to them. Ask restless kids to look around and draw what they see.
• Encourage older kids to take notes during the message. Even younger elementary kids can write down a word or two that they hear.  Use these notes in family discussions later.
• At lunch or later in the day, ask them to share their favorite part of the Gathering. Encourage them to share one thing they learned and one thing didn’t understand.
• It is fine to compliment great behavior and address issues as needed, but remember to focus on what a blessing it was to worship our great God and Savior alongside them and with our church family.