The Children and Worship program is celebrating 20 years of offering renewed ideas for Sunday school. Based on Montessori principles, young children are taught about God and the Bible using interactive, visual and creative methods, in an effort to help them experience the stories as well as learn about them.
The Canadian program is coordinated by Linda Shaw, a long-time Presbyterian missionary. She said the program focuses on what God calls all Christians to do: worship. "Children as young as three can worship God," she said. "And this provides a safe place where children can be calm, quiet and reflective, and listen to God."
Shaw said her home congregation of Westwood, Winnipeg, has had the program since she introduced it 15 years ago, and new families have started coming because of it. Shaw has adapted it for use in a mid-week Bible study with developmentally disabled adults, most of whom live in group homes. The program also operates in some hospitals.
"I've been around this church for many years and have worked on many different projects and this is my all-time favourite," said Dorothy Henderson, the church's associate secretary for Christian Education. "It's a beautifully enriching program for the child, and the leaders love it too."
Lessons are designed to be tactile experiences, the stories told with physical figures. The children are often asked to create something in response to what they learned. "It's focused on helping each child develop innerstrengths as they grow in their faith," said Henderson.
Congregational leaders of the program are trained by a network of qualified people throughout North America. Basic training involves a two day course which is offered across the country. Visit www.presbycan.ca/ childyouth/worship for more information. – AM
