Child-friendly church spaces

Witnessing worship

Why children often learn about their place in the world at church—not just through learning the Gospel, but also in how they are invited to participate in worship.  Pastor Jia Starr Brown brings her own background rooted in the Black church to her conversation with host Dawn Rundman. She has an inspiring message for worship leaders when they must address difficult, painful situations in a worship setting.  Pastor Jia’s goal is to make the gospel accessible to everyone. Listener, that means you! Learn more about her work and her Stable Study Church at her website, www.jiastarrbrown.com. She is available for preaching, training, event leadership and speaking, consulting, and more.  Thanks for listening and we’ll be back in your feed soon with another episode of Worship Whys.

Child-friendly church spaces

Why it’s worth making some simple adjustments to make your church spaces feel more inviting to families. The very space that is impressive to adults may not feel welcoming to children. In this episode, host Dawn Rundman gets some innovative ideas from Julie Marie Seibert as they discuss why it’s important to look at church spaces through a child’s eyes. Julie Marie brings her background as an educator who creates inclusive museum experiences to this conversation. Have thoughts on this topic or other ways to connect with kids at church? Dawn would love to hear from you. You can e-mail her at WorshipWhys @AugsburgFortress.org. We’ll be back again soon with another episode of Worship Whys!

Making memories, building faith

Sounding out words in the bulletin. Becoming an acolyte. Holding the baby in the Christmas pageant. WHY participating in such classic church rituals, activities, and holiday traditions creates memories and builds faith in children as they come of age. Worship Whys host Dawn Rundman asks her own young adult daughter, Svea, to recall her own childhood church experiences from the not-too-distant past. Svea has thoughts about how worship leaders can help kids take pride in participating and find their role in the congregation, with a special shout-out to those cherished “church grandmas.” Thanks for listening to this episode of Worship Whys! Dawn will be back again soon with another episode and more ideas about how your church can welcome children and their families.

Faith autobiography—from youth!

WHY asking young adults who’ve been raised in a faith community can be eye-opening for worship leaders. In this episode, Worship Whys host Dawn Rundman asks a college senior—who happens to be her son, Paavo—to reflect on his faith autobiography. Hearing his thoughts on how church membership and activities shaped him provided insight—and some surprises. Have you requested the faith autobiography of children who came of age in your church? Or asked kids in your own family to share their faith story? Dawn would love to hear your experience. You can email her at WorshipWhys@AugsburgFortress.org [WorshipWhys@AugsburgFortress.org]. We’ll be back again soon!

NURSING AND BABYWEARING

Welcoming and supporting new moms and their babies WHY your church should be proactive in advocating for the needs of nursing mothers, both those on church staff and those in your congregation. Youth and Family Ministry leader Melissa Ramshead talks to Worship Whys host Dawn Rundman about her real life experiences as the working mother of three young daughters. She shares her ideas about important ways to create a supportive space for the new moms in your church. Please like, follow, subscribe, and share this podcast with your colleagues. That will help us grow our podcast and share more ideas about welcoming children in worship. We’ll be back in your feed soon with another episode of Worship Whys!