Children’s Christmas Worship

Submitted by Jennifer Power

This Sunday, December 20^th during the 10:30am worship service, our children will be leading us in worship.

At first, I thought having the kids lead a Christmas worship service was a great idea.

Then I started working on it.

I quickly realized this task would not be a simple one. Many years ago, dance was a central part of my life. I took lessons for years, participated in dance competitions, choreographed for my dance team in high school, and eventually ran a small dance studio. At one point, I had planned to attend a Christian college in Mississippi and study ballet. Obviously I ended up in a different direction.

When I decided to add a dance component to the Children’s Christmas Service, I was initially excited, but when it came time to pull the pieces together, my excitement turned to apprehension and anxiety. Not only had it been years since I taught dance, but I needed to choreograph a dance with four different layers of ages/experience levels which could be learned in only two or three practices.

If I had only been choreographing a dance and not putting together an entire service, the task would have been challenging but manageable but since this task needed to be completed in conjunction with all my regular responsibilities and while pulling all the other pieces together for this service, the task began to feel overwhelming.

During this time of preparation, I did remember to ask God’s help in prayer…though not as often as I probably could/should have, and one by one the pieces started coming together. God never seems to miss an opportunity to teach me about His grace, and bringing this service together has been nothing short of abundant grace. He continually reminds me that He is walking beside me – being my provider, my guide, and my strength – teaching me worry has no place in my life when I submit my work to Him.

He will provide. He does provide. He has provided.

For me.

Again and again.

Despite my repeated failures.

And while His provision gives me no excuse to slack, it gives me great comfort to be continually reminded who holds my life and work in His hands.

So here I sit, four days from the day of the Children’s Christmas Worship, and instead of anxiety, I feel excitement. All year long, we intentionally look for opportunities to help children be not just passive observers of worship but active participants, and this Children’s Christmas Worship is a wonderful expression of that desire. The church does not belong to the adults. The church belongs to God, and its participants are the body of Christ – and that certainly includes the children.

I hope you plan to join us for this special service. I can assure you, it will not be perfect. I can also assure you, God will be in it, and it will therefore be beautiful. So plan to join us at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church this Sunday, December 20^th at 10:30am for a very special Children’s Christmas Worship service.

Merry Christmas and Happy Advent!

Jen