by Julia Sensenbrenner

Children and Worship. Godly Play. Do these words pose a contradiction in terms in your mind? Can young children really learn how to worship? Just how do you “play” with God?

Children at Bethany are learning to do both through our Godly Play program, which is offered for kindergartners during the 9 o’clock service and for 4-7 year olds at the second service. In our “worship center,” room 202, children gain experience with worship in a child-friendly manner as they learn to wonder and ask questions, become familiar with the language of the Christian faith, and hear Bible stories in a fresh way.

The morning incorporates much of the liturgy used for worship in the sanctuary. The children start in the hallway, preparing themselves for worship. After being asked, “Are you ready to worship?” by our doorkeepers (assistant teachers), the students enter the worship center and join the circle of children. We open with the age-old greeting among Christians: “The Lord be with you...And also with you.” Then we share a moment of silent listening to God, and sing two songs accompanied by sign language to meet the kinesthetic needs of young children. The highlight of the morning begins as the worship leader (lead teacher) launches into the story.

Bible stories are told using high-quality materials: felt underlays, beautifully crafted wooden figures of the “People of God” made by Paul Steenstra, laminated pictures, wooden backdrops and colorful fabrics. As the storyteller begins, the children sitting in the circle fall silent and focus on the story, which is told slowly and simply.

“The form is amazing,” says Dave Campbell. “When you manipulate pieces [to tell the story], children get to see movement, words and action. It is sort of like watching a play, but later the students can manipulate it for themselves. The stories are amazing in terms of how indelibly they get impressed in the students’ and teachers’ minds.”

This was evident to Worship Leader Nancy Carlstrom in January when she showed the children a small bottle of sand from a desert near the Red Sea and told them about her recent journey up Mount Sinai. The children quickly linked Mt. Sinai to the Ten Commandments, or “The Ten Best Ways to Live” as the Godly Play story is called. Nancy added the sand to our “desert box,” a small sand box on wheels, which also contains sand from an Israeli desert brought back by Mark Cutshall.

When telling a desert story, worship leaders open with the line, “So many important things happen in the desert that we just have to have a small piece of it in our room.” It is fitting that our desert box literally contains sand from the part of the world where Jesus and the Jewish people walked.

The story is followed by a series of wondering questions that encourage the children to wonder, make connections and think more deeply about the story. Next, we turn to a 10-20 minute response time. After spreading a towel on the floor to create their own special space, the children can choose to retell a story from our story shelves or use a range of art materials, including water colors and collage fabrics.

Godly Play creator Jerome Berryman explains, “Godly Play connects materials with the creative process so children can create meaning…We are not teaching the story; instead, we are teaching the art of how to use the story to make meaning in our lives.”

When the children return to the circle, we light the Christ candle to remind us that Christ is with us as we read the story directly from the Bible, join in prayer, and share a “feast” (snack) on Communion Sundays. We close by singing “Go Now in Peace,” and then each child takes a turn to come forward to enjoy a special personal blessing whispered in his or her ear. “I love being worship leader,” says Jenny Cade, “particularly giving blessings at the end. Having the child sit in your lap and whispering ‘God loves you’ is a gift of connecting with the kids.”

Teaching in Godly Play is extremely meaningful to our 20 adult and youth teachers, many of whom have served five years or more. “There is so much richness here to explore and be present in,” says Beverly Rogers. “I always try to sense which child the Lord is leading me to in response time.” Nancy Carlstrom reflects, “It stimulates my own sense of wonder and helps me not demand clear-cut answers for everything. The emphasis on ‘we have all the time we need’ is a good reminder in our lives where things get busy and rushed.”

Julie Anderton sums up the blessings of the Godly Play program for both children and adults: “I am amazed at the children’s receptivity and ability to get into the story and be with God in some way. They respond with honesty and spontaneity. I can see the beginning of their understanding of God’s love for them…I often feel like I have been in the presence of God from the moment I step in the room.”

For more information about the Godly Play program or to volunteer, please contact worship room coordinators Debbie Campbell (campbelldnd@comcast.net) or Julia Sensenbrenner (jss361@comcast.net).