Easy Wins for Parents on “First Sunday”
On the first Sunday of every month, we intentionally welcome Griggs Kids—ages six and older—to sit in the service with their parents.
Our primary goals in this are twofold:
To raise biblically literate children who are integrated into the life of the church.
To support parents in raising their children to participate in corporate worship.
We know this isn’t always easy. Kids who aren’t used to sitting upstairs may feel squirmy or restless. Parents may feel torn between correcting behavior and guiding their children to love the church from the heart.
But we’re all in the same boat. Let’s acknowledge that we all need help to “bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord” (Eph. 6:4).
With that in mind, here are some simple, practical steps to help your kids engage with the Sunday morning service, even at a young age:
Before Service
Teach your children about the body of Christ throughout the week. Remind them: “Jesus put together the church. It’s His family, it’s our family, and we gather to worship Jesus, hear from Jesus, and share life with one another.”
Set expectations before Sunday morning. Say something like: “I’m so excited for you to come to service with me! Do you remember how we behave in service? We listen, we don’t distract others, we sit in our spot, we pass the plate, we sing, and we whisper when we need something.”
Get them involved with preparing a church bag. On Saturday, encourage your child to gather their Bible, a pen, and a highlighter. If they need a small, quiet toy or extra paper, let them add that as well.
During Service
Give your kids the job of opening the hymnals. This helps them practice finding the right hymn, learn songs, and pay attention to the words.
Let them find the passage in the Bible. Encourage kids to bring their Bibles, locate the book and verses, and even highlight or underline key phrases.
Use the special bulletins we provide on First Sundays. These are designed to go along with the sermon and help children follow the teaching.
After Service
Ask questions. Invite your kids to share what they heard or saw. Do your best to answer, or look for the answer together.
Talk about your spiritual family. Tell your kids about some of your friends who were in church that day and how much it means to worship Jesus with them.
Encourage and correct. Compliment your child for moments they were engaged, and explain why certain parts of the service are important whenever correction is needed.
Pray with and for your children. This could be before service, thanking God after service, or quietly praying for them during the service.
There’s always more we can do to train our children to worship the Lord and join with His people. But let’s not overlook the basics. By starting small and staying consistent, we can patiently build a strong foundation for our kids’ understanding of—and relationship with—corporate worship.
