Pick Me! Pick Me, Puleasse!!!

A Typical Sunday Morning Service begins in Kidz Church at 9:45 am!  You may wonder why, since our Adult Service begins at 10 am! 

Here’s the reason why:

Every Sunday morning, at the end of our Kidz Church service, I have my teen helpers select two children, one boy and one girl, to receive a Quiet Seat prize.  I shop for these items throughout the year.  They are usually a small game, coloring books, craft item, or some other thing I feel the kids would like.  I usually always include some candy.  Before I hand out the Quiet Seat prizes, I always have one child from the group, go up on stage and do a drum roll for each winner. 

Little did I know that the opportunity to be that day’s “drummer” would be almost as exciting as being selected the prize winner.  About 3 years ago, the number of kids wanting to be that day’s drummer, had gotten so out of control, that I would have to try to remember from week to week, who I had promised could do it!  Then, if I gave the chose one over another, or out of sequence, they’d get very, very upset with me!!!  Well, I just can’t have upset kids in my classroom.  It is just not how I do business. 

So I came up with a wonderful solution:  the first child who asked me upon arriving for service, would be given the chance to drum that day. 

Simple enough! 

Now three years later, I have the joy of welcoming at least 10 -12 kids out of 60, who arrive early to church, so they can be the first to ask about drumming!!!   

How cool is that??

On top of that, I also get an additional 5-6 kids who all race into the Chapel, to look at the schedule posted on the sound booth, that shows who is supposed to work the computer, the AV equipment, and the sound board, and who is going to be on stage for Praise and Worship.  These positions are so much in-demand, that every Sunday morning, I get bombarded by kids who want to do those jobs, IF the kids scheduled to work, are absent! They joyfully yell, “Pick me, pick me!”

Can you imagine if Pastor had a multitude of people rushing up to him every morning before service, asking to be ushers, greeters, sing on stage, run the sound board equipment, and play instruments? 

Somewhere along the way, we adults forget what it feels like to serve in God’s home.  We get content to just let the 20% of the people working from week-to-week, keep doing it all the time.  Sometimes, it just takes too much effort to go seek out the ministry head and say, “Here I am, use me.” 

Speaking from the perspective of one who ministers on a weekly basis, I can’t get enough of my Sunday morning bombardment.  I LOVE all those happy, little faces, begging me to let them get involved in meaningful aspects of ministry!

And those of you who bring the little ones to church early can take advantage of one personal benefit of your own:  you get to be the first to choose from all the good seats in the back of the Sanctuary!

Called by Him,

Ms. Lucie