Presbyterian Herald February 2022

Page 20

Let the little children

come to me

Ruth Bromley reflects on how churches are carrying out children’s ministry in this season.

I

t’s interesting to note that children don’t feature very prominently in the Bible story. Particular children pop up here and there in what is largely an adult driven narrative. However, that doesn’t mean children are unimportant to God or in the life and work of his church. In Matthew 19:14, Jesus spoke those well-known words to his disciples, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” They are a reminder from the lips of the Master himself that welcoming children, and making the life and worship of the community of God’s people accessible to them, is important. One of the challenges of the period following the lockdowns in which it

20

Herald February 2022

became possible to deliver a stripped back version of church life was how to do so in ways that still accommodated children and their families. So, what have we learned about ways of including children in our church life, from the challenges of welcoming and then facilitating the return of children to church as pandemic restrictions eased? Every congregation’s experience and approach will be slightly different.

Having the children with us throughout the whole service is a blessing to them…

Jamie Maguire, minister of the congregations of Drumbanagher and Jerrettspass and Kingsmills, and Nicky Bradley, children’s director of Knock Presbyterian, offer their reflections.

Jamie writes: I was surprised to learn that many congregations were experiencing difficulty encouraging young families to return to worship following the easing of Covid-19 restrictions. In the congregations of Kingsmills and Jerrettspass, the trend seems to be different. I don’t believe we are doing anything special, other than the very special act of worshipping the one true and living God.


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.