As she was considering how to prepare for children’s worship, Theresa Moeller thought of a box.
Moeller was preparing for the Kids Worship and Wonder program at Covenant Christian Reformed Church in North Haledon, N.J.
What she had in mind was a custom-made box for each child in which to keep all their “work for God.” Her husband, Jeff, got to work with a pallet of plywood the church donated and made over 100 boxes for the children to use as they respond to God’s story.
Each week, the children are told a Bible story. “The stories are told very slowly and dramatically,” said Sharon Visbeen, one of the storytellers. “The kids are mesmerized!”
After the story, there is personal quiet time. The kids get their boxes, filled with journals, art supplies, bookmarks to help them find Bible stories, and pens and pencils. “They are not told how to respond,” Moeller says, “They are asked what they want to do.” Sometimes they want to pray; sometimes they want to write in their journal; sometimes they want to create something.
“Every week we supply lots of different colored papers to keep in the boxes. One of our children made a tree out of the different colored papers. Many have created sheep and crosses as well as pictures of the Christ candle,” Moeller explained. “All of these special treasures are kept in their boxes.”
“The children love it,” Moeller said. “They are completely engaged.”
For more children’s worship resources:
Children and Worship
About the Author
Callie Feyen is a writer living in Ann Arbor, Mich. She attends First Presbyterian Church of Ann Arbor. Callie writes news for The Banner and contributes to Coffee+Crumbs, and T.S. Poetry Press. She holds an MFA in Creative Writing and is the author of The Teacher Diaries: Romeo and Juliet, and Twirl: My Life in Stories, Writing, & Clothes.
