Children's Sunday and Children's Sabbath

Children's Sunday is a day set aside to celebrate children as active participants in the life of the church. Children serve as worship leaders throughout the service, including preaching.

Children's Sabbath is an ecumenically celebrated weekend committed to educating the congregation about the state of today’s children and families in America. Children provide leadership through music and reading of scripture.

Children's Sunday

Select a theme based on a text from the Bible, and use the gifts of your congregation to live out that theme in worship.

Select the music for the children's choir, congregational hymns, prayers, and readings based on your chosen theme. Rehearse.

Use children’s creative gifts to create paraments, banners, and the bulletin cover; write prayers and responsive readings; plan dramatic readings and liturgical dance. Rehearse.

Include every child in a way that uses and respects their gifts.

Commit to rehearsing so that children will not feel as nervous during worship.

Include teachers and leaders in planning, and tap into those adults who may be able to devote time to a short term ministry.

Remember that this is a time for children to share their gifts with God and the congregation, not perform.

Children's Sabbath

Each year the Children's Defense Fund selects a theme for the National Observance of Children’s Sabbath that encourages prayer, education, and service to help children and families.

Congregations hold special worship services, education programs, and advocacy activities to engage people of faith in the lives of children and their families.

The Children’s Defense Fund provides a wonderful free, downloadable booklet of activities and worship services http://www.childrensdefense.org/child-advocacy-resources-center/faith-based-programs/national-observance-of-childrens-sabbaths-celebration/

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