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This morning we went to church at my brother’s church. My parents and other brother went as well. It was the first time we’ve all attended church together since I went away to college. That was lovely.
My brother’s church had Children’s Church during the morning service, and my kids went downstairs for it. It was so different than what we’re used to because our church does not have Children’s Church. It was really strange to be sitting in church without my kids sitting beside me.
At our church our children stay in the services with us. They do have a separate Sunday School class for the kids but for services they stay with us. Anna generally sits with a different family – since Stephen leads the singing and I’m the pianist we can’t hold her ourselves. But even she stays in the services too.
It was just such a contrast from what we’re used to. I’m not being critical of his church at all – it was just so different. Out of curiosity – what does your church do?
I used to be of the thinking that children should be in the nursery or children’s church but have recently become convicted about worshiping as a family. My oldest spent the first four years of her life being kept out of the service because the leader of the church a the time taught that children should stay out (and I believed the same), new leadership wants the children in with the whole church family. Personally, it is harder with them beside me, especially because we are still in the training stage for how to behave during worship (the one year old doing much better than my 6 year old, teaching me I should have done this from the start with the oldest too! Live and learn!) But even though it is harder, I LOVE it. It just feels right. And my oldest is so much more aware of spiritual things now, much more prayerful, much more worshipful, much more God centered. She already was before, but now, that much more so. This could also have to do with how much more we are doing in Bible study and scripture memory with 1st grade home school. Anyways, all that to say, I am now of the thinking that our family should worship at church together. Especially since “Sunday School” takes place at home, most every day!
It was interesting to read everyone’s responses! Keep them coming!
I agree with Susan though. We have been in good churches that do things both ways.
I have really enjoyed reading what everyone else does though! Thank you!
We have junior church on Sunday mornings, then the children are with us for the other two services. I’ve heard reasons for both ways of doing the services, and I really think either way is fine. I’ve been in excellent churches on both sides! 😉
Our church has nursery for the babies at all services and junior church for the young children (maybe up to 3rd or 4th grade? I’m not sure on the age limit) for the morning service. On Wednesdays there are classes for each age group.
It’s interesting how churches do things a little different from one another.
We go to a Presbyterian church. We have 4 children ages 10,5,3,4mo. There’s Sunday School for all the children. During service, they all stay until “children’s sermon”-then afterwards the 4 and under go to nursery. If there is more children then there will be children’s church for k-5th grade.
We attend an IFB church, and we have seperate Sunday school classes for married adults, singles, and then various ages and stages for the children down to the age of 2. Then we all meet up for the service, and all the little ones 3 and under go the nursery. The kids are in the service with us through the singing and offering, and then they go to children’s church. At other services, Sunday and Wednesday night, we just have the nursery and the rest of us have regular services. Part of me wishes I could just keep my kids with me more often, but I really think they get a lot more out of the children’s servieces.
Blessings,
sara
Hi
I’m from the UK, at our church all the children stay for the beginning of the service and the first hymn – then normally they go down stairs where there are 3 age groups of sunday school. Once the children are about 13/14 they stay for the whole service.
Then after the service evryone stays downstairs for tea and a biscuit.
Once every few weeks there is a family service where everyone stays up but the children always all sit together at the fron of the church.
Denise
I attend a Methodist church most children two and under go to nursery children between ages three and eight stay for half of the service they hear the prayers the music and a children’s sermon then volunteers take them to children’s church where they discuss the same topic on their own level. All children over eight attend the whole service.
We have separate Sunday School Classes for the men, women, and different ages of children. Usually, the babies stay with a parent until they’re old enough to go to their class. For church, the children attend with there parents. Our nursery is mainly used as a “cry room” and place for a changing table and a rocking chair in case mama needs to nurse a baby right then.
We are of same mind. Our church services are held in our home and parents and children are worshiping together. We have had our daughter with us at every service even if she is sleeping. We learn in Nehemiah 8 that the family should worship together. I cannot imagine having our little girl learning from anyone but her father, who is the Pastor of our home church.
We have a nursery for babies/little kids.
It’s up to the parents when they bring their kids into church. We started bringing Jerusha when she started screaming about being left in nursery (around 2).
Isaac’s still in nursery & I have a feeling he’ll be harder to train to sit in church. :-O
We have Sunday School after our 2nd service for kids 4+.
Not that this is important in the grand scheme of things but I am Lutheran, Missouri Synod. My church does not have a separate children’s church. There is a short 3-5 minute “children’s sermon” right before the adult sermon that is the laymen’s version. We have a nursery for children under four but it is rarely used as children are are expected to learn appropriate behavior for church. Most of the children in the nursery are typically those who are being disruptive for whatever reason that may be. There is a separate Sunday School but during the summer it is no longer separate but a “family lesson” where everyone attends together.