## Children: A Vital Part of Our Lively Worship Community by Andi Becker  Good morning, everyone! Last time we spoke about transforming our church services. Today, we gather as a lively community to explore an exciting topic—how children are an essential part of our worship and preaching time. We want our time together to be engaging, fun, and filled with God's love. So, let's dive in and discover how we can create an inclusive and joyful multiage church community. Are you ready? Let's get started! ### Let’s have a warm-up time with a dance party Before we begin, let's have a dance party! Music fills our hearts with joy, just as it did in the times of Jesus. So, let's shake off any worries or hesitations and dance with all our might! Remember, God loves it when His children are full of energy and happiness. Yeah, it is biblical! 1. Mark 10:14 (NIV): "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these." 2. Matthew 18:3 (NIV): "Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." ### Should, or shouldn't we have children in worship and preaching time? Let's Have Fun! You know what? Jesus loves it when children are a part of His worship! He said, "Let the little children come to me." So, it's time for us to revolutionize our worship and preaching time. We don't want children to sit still for long periods. Instead, we want them to have fun, engage, and feel God's presence in their lives. Here's how we can do it: 1. Let’s have our children participate with joy: Children, I want you to come forward and stand with us. We're going to worship together! Raise your hands, dance, and sing with all your might. God loves to see you enjoying yourselves as we praise Him. 2. And what about Children's Story Time: Kids, guess what? We have a special time just for you! We'll gather together, and a church member or I'll tell you an exciting story from the Bible. It's a story that will teach us important lessons and make us giggle too. Parents, caretakers, and preachers let's sit back and listen as the children lead us in this special moment. Do you feel now what true community engagement is? Isn’t it fun and interesting? Let's Build New "Families" In this multi-age church community, we are all part of God's family. It doesn't matter if we're young or old, related by blood or not. What matters is that we love and support one another. Together, let's build new "families" that reflect the love of God: 1. Fun together will bring us much more together as one body in Christ: Kids, we have a challenge for you! Find an adult you don't know and team up for a fun activity. It could be creating artwork together or solving a puzzle. Let's connect across generations and build new friendships within our church family. 2. Well and what about sharing and caring: Remember, in God's family, we share and care for one another. Adults, I encourage you to spend time talking to the children, listening to their thoughts and ideas. Kids have incredible insights that can inspire us all. Let's learn from one another and grow together in faith. As we conclude, let's remember that Jesus loves it when children are an active part of His worship. Our multiage church community should be filled with joy, laughter, and genuine engagement. Together, let's dance, sing, and learn from the Bible stories. Let's build relationships across generations and create a family rooted in love and support. We are all God's children, and He desires us to experience His love together. So, let's continue to revolutionize our worship and preaching time, making it a lively and joyful experience for everyone. \#Childfriendly \#Familyoriented \#Activeengagement \#Multiagecommunity \#Worshipandplay \#Inclusive \#Funactivities \#Internationalcongregation \#Thaibilingual \#Communitybuilding