CHILDREN’S DAY (BIRTH–AGE 12)
(VALUES THAT NOURISH CHILDREN)

MUSIC & WORSHIP RESOURCES

Sunday, July 22, 2012

The African American Lectionary Liturgists

Worship Planning Notes

On this Sunday, we focus on providing children with values that will nourish them so that they become adults who are devoted to Christ, to worship, and to being positive contributors to the world. Through music and worship, children can learn Christian values at an early age. So, do not take for granted the lessons taught to children in worship; children are always watching us and they are learning from us at all times. Let us be sure that we are teaching them values that will nourish them throughout their lives.

Leading Children in Worship

• Provide an example for children to follow. As they follow (mimic) the leader, they will be encouraged to respond to the songs of the faith with attentiveness and adoration.
  
  
• Be creative and use games. Predictability does not imply dull, routine worship but can include creative and fun times of praise.
  
  
• Use instruments that are unusual and fun. Allow children to play bongos, congas, shakers, triangles, spoons, bells, etc.
  
  
• Encourage children to pray. Help children overcome their shyness and fear of a long prayer by saying a word or phrase to get them started or help them continue. This will build their confidence. During rehearsal introduce the time of prayer by asking each child to give one reason why they are thankful to God, or one thing they love about God. Then have them express their thanks to God for that thing as they pray.
  
  
• Pray in their language. Beware of obstacles to understanding, such as out-of-date language, long words, and religious clichés. A prayer such as “Thou, O Lord, art highly to be praised because of thine exceeding holiness” uses old language that is foreign to children and contains complex religious words. An alternative would be “God, you are so great and wonderful that when we think of You, it makes us happy.” In worship, at some point, have various children pray.

Additional Recommendation for Children’s Worship

With children, the opening songs need to be fun songs that allow them to march, stomp, holler, clap, and get actively involved. This helps draw children into the service. Meeting children where they are means jumping in with BOTH feet and having some fun with them. Follow fun songs with praise songs that help children tell who God is to them. Sometimes the praise to worship transition can be made by changing a word or two of the song being sung (i.e., “God is so good” to “God, You are so good”).

1. Litany

*Black Children

Children are precious gifts from God and we love them. Let us remind ourselves that it takes a whole village to raise a child to show compassion, competence, and character.

We celebrate their gifts and strengths. We pray for them. Lord, help us to hear the dreams and concerns of children, and to never give up on them.

We thank you for David, who found favor with you and was anointed king in his youth. We also thank you for Josiah, who became king at eight years of age, and whose reign was pleasing to you.

We thank you for the young maiden who instructed Naaman to seek the prophet. We also thank you for Miriam, who led with her brother Moses; for Jeremiah, who was called from his mother’s womb; and for Jesus, who confounded the chief priests and scribes at the age of twelve.

We remember Emmit Till, whose murder in Money, Mississippi, shed light on the atrocities of racism. We remember the Little Rock Arkansas Nine, who risked their lives so that black children could receive an equal education. We remember the four young ladies who lost their lives in a Birmingham church during Sunday School.

In the twenty-first century, many black children are still in desperate need. Every day thousand are born into poverty, killed by guns, and die daily from HIV infections.

O Lord, rescue and deliver them all. Help them to become beacons of hope and agents of change in America and in the world.

As the lives of children and youth are channeled to schooling, help them find the time to read and to understand your commandments, and to know and to love Jesus Christ.

O Lord, position significant and caring adults in their lives to guide them to discover the unique potential which you have placed within them.

Shield them from all hurt, harm, and danger. Shelter them from abuse, low self-esteem, drugs, pornography, prostitution, and poverty.

May you help them to obey their parent. Give them important roles to play in the home, church, school, and community. Give every family and community assets that ensure the positive development of black children.

Our hope for the future resides in our children. We pray that they thrive according to your will.

2. Hymns and Congregational Songs
(a) Give of Your Best to the Master. By Howard B. Grose. Tune by Charlotte Barnard

(b) Higher, Higher. Anonymous

(c) Jesus Loves the Little Children. By C. H. Woolston. Tune, (CHILDREN), by George F. Root

(d) Lord, You Are Welcome. By Warren Jones. Can also be used as an Introit

(e) Praise Him All Ye Little Children. Anonymous. Tune by Carey Bonner

3. Songs for Choirs, Praise Teams, or Ensembles
(a) High and Lifted Up. By Joe Pace

(b) I’m a Child. By Arthur Scales

(c) Open the Eyes of My Heart. By Paul Baloche

(d) Shabach. By Byron Cage and Tobias Fox 

(e) Shout to the Lord. By Darlene Zschech

(f) Trees. By Margaret Pleasant Douroux

(g) You Are My Joy. By Tye Tribett

4. Gospel Songs for Choirs, Ensembles, or Praise Teams
(a) I Need You to Survive. By Hezekiah Walker. This arrangement is for children.

(b) I’m Important to God. By Raymond Wise

(c) God Made Me. Traditional

5. Liturgical Dance Music
(a) What about the Children. By BeBe Winans

(b) I Like Me. By Kirk Franklin and Emmanuel Lambert

(c) The Bible Rap. By Raymond Wise

6. Anthems
(a) Joseph’s Song (God Was in Control). By Linda Marcus and Ruth Elaine Schram. This delightfully amusing recount of the life of Joseph of the Old Testament is set to the familiar “Yankee Doodle” tune.

(b) Blessed Is the One. By David Curry, Jr.

(c) Little Eyes Are Watching You. By Ruth Elaine Schram

7. Modern Songs
(a) I Am a Promise. By William Gaither and Gloria Gaither

(b) We Must Dream. By James Selway

(c) Lord I Lift Your Name on High. By Rick Rounds

8. Offertory Song or Instrumental
(a) When All God’s Children Get Together. By D. Allen

(b) Even at My Age. By Raymond Wise

(c) Shabach. By Tobias Fox

(d) I Can Do Anything for Christ. By Raymond Wise

9. Song or Instrumental for the Period of Prayer
(a) The Lord’s Prayer. By Steve Key

(b) West Indian Lord’s Prayer. West Indian traditional. Arr. by Nolan Williams, Jr.

(c) When Children Pray. By Brian Wren. Tune by Anne Wilson

10. Sermonic Selection
(a) I Am His Child. By Moses Hogan

(b) Young and Positive. By Bernice Johnson Reagon. This is a fun song that can be done with adult/youth and children’s choirs.

11. Invitational Song or Instrumental
(a) You Are the Shepherd. By Keith and Kristynn Getty

(b) Let Him in Today. By Raymond Wise

12. Benediction 
(a) Mayenziwe (Your Will Be Done). South African traditional

(b) As You Go, Tell the World. Anonymous. Tune by Valeria Foster

13. Additional Information

Songs for Children in Worship

The types of songs that can be used for leading children in worship include:

• Action Songs. These teach the meaning of a song and provide an outlet for children’s energy to be released. Songs with few words and much repetition are best for children. But songs do not need to be meaningless to be included in the category of action songs. Songs such as “Silver and Gold” and “He That Believeth” teach while they involve children in actions.
  
  
• Adoration Songs. Avoid thinking that children only want to sing fun songs. They also want to express their love to Jesus in song. Children can be captivated by the wonder of music.
  
  
• Adult Songs. Children want to sing songs that are being sung by older people in church, or that are sung by the senior youth group. The key is to ensure that the message of these songs is not too mature for the children’s experience level.
  
  
• Use of Other Languages. Don’t be afraid to teach children worship songs from other cultures, and in other languages.
  
  
• Assorted Songs. In his letters, Paul listed the types of songs to be used in worship: psalms and hymns (Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16):
  
  (1) Psalms. This involves the singing of Scripture choruses, because they are simple in lyrics and melody and they are quickly learned even by young children. The use of modern language helps children relate to the words and the message.
  
  (2) Hymns. There is a need to teach children hymns. Exposure to the past helps children face the future. A sense of their heritage stimulates a sense of their future destiny, but the use of a hymn book is counter-productive as most children will stare blankly at the pages and be unable to follow the format or thumb through the pages. Instead, repeat the more well-known hymns until children learn the words, or make use of an overhead screen.

NOTE: The Songs of Zion Hymnal (Edited by J. Jefferson Cleveland and Verolga Nix, Abingdon Press, Nashville, TN, 1981)is a good reference for finding historical notes on the development of hymns, spirituals, and gospel songs. It is a good idea to incorporate the teaching of the history of this music as we teach songs from various genres to children.

Cites and Additional Information for Music and Material Listed