August Is the Best!
It’s the most wonderful time of the year- almost! Before some of you start being concerned that I’m suffering from sunstroke, let me clue you in on a little secret: I love the month of August. And not because of the long, luxurious summer days, or the anticipation of my birthday in September, or our annual special events like Overflow and Harbor Baptisms, although all of those things are great. I love August because I love Family Worship Month. As a worship planner and leader, it’s a fun excuse to stretch my creative muscles and see how we can plan worship that is true to our theology and values and relevant for a 3rd grader’s faith journey. And as a Chapel Hill member, it’s a beautiful reminder of the many facets of the body of Christ.
I have lots of preschool and elementary school students in my life, and I’ve noticed that I usually become incredibly aware of the words I’m using and the assumptions I’m making when talking with them about anything more complex than our next snack choice. Family Worship Month does the same thing for me, causing me to ask questions like:
- What words do we use to talk about God? About worship?
- Do we take time to explain the words and actions of corporate worship to those young in age or young in faith?
- Do my kindergarten friends feel valued in the gathering of the church?
- Do we really practice what we preach, that every part of the body of Christ is needed for us to experience God’s kingdom in full?
And every year, I’m surprised to find that considering corporate worship from the perspective of an eight-year-old always reveals something new about who God is and how I engage with Him as a 28-year old. May you be blessed as we introduce our children to the sacraments of communion and baptism, to the proclamation of the Word, the prayers of the people, and all the other wonderful things contained between prelude and postlude, call to worship and benediction. May you discover something new about your own faith journey as we explore the world through the eyes of our children, and may we together, as one family, offer God a gift of worship that is glorifying to Him in a special way. See you soon!
Kathryn McIvor
P.S. If you’re in the life stage where there are lots of preschool and elementary school students in your home, consider coming to the first of our monthly Young Families Coffee meetings on Sunday, July 17, between services in the Gathering Place nook. Bring your kids along and connect with families in a similar life stage!