A Letter to Parents of 4 to 5 Year Olds

August 15th, 2023

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

We are excited to offer again for our younger parishioners, the 4- and 5-year-olds a program on  Sunday morning Mass, during the Liturgy of the Word, this group will be invited to go do their own study. For the 15 or so minutes between the beginning of Mass and the Liturgy of the Eucharist, the kids will engage with scripture in a way that has been designed just for them. The program is from the book Young Children and Worship by Sonja Stewart and Jerome Berryman.  It is faithful, biblical, and age-appropriate. It encourages reflection in young children and introduces them to the stories in the Bible. 

The children sit in a circle and the stories are presented in the middle using wooden figures. The lessons are short and each one ends with a few questions for reflection, “I wonder how the shepherds felt when the angel talked to them…?” or “I wonder what it felt like to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost…?” There is no discussion, the questions are just left to be food for thought.  Then, there is a ‘moving’ activity. After that, we quiet ourselves and return to Mass. 

Some folks have said: 

“If you are seeking a broad-ranging, Christ-centered curriculum, look no further! This is a wonderful program created for children between the ages of 3 to 7. Using a calming, quiet, questioning format allows the children to formulate and ask questions meaningful to their faith walk.”

"I love that this book encourages children to explore scripture spiritually. The language, rituals, and silence of worship are so important. It is challenging to change from traditional Sunday School with arts and crafts to this form of children's worship.”

We are looking forward to the opportunity to work with you in developing the faith of your child, and the loving relationship between your child and God.