Children's Sermon

Earlier this month, our pastors asked for help delivering the sermon during the First Sunday of Advent.

I agreed to help for a few reasons:

1. Their family would be out of town on vacation;
2. Holding a lay-led service would shave costs from our budget;
3. Creativity might allow for the normality of a children's sermon.

As our church's Sunday School superintendent, I knew our children would miss class this week. We'd planned a break to allow families time away during the long Thanksgiving weekend. Still my heart went out to those children coming to church. How could I draw them in as our pastors always do when they lead our Sunday service?

I wondered: After reading the Pastor's reflection on Advent, should I invite the children forward while I continue with the story book about the actual man who became known as Saint Nicholas?

I realized: Sitting with kids on the sanctuary steps, with a microphone in my one hand and a big picture book in my other hand while trying to turn pages as I read aloud might be a bit cumbersome.

I thought: There must be another way.

I re-read the Advent reflection. The words "Advent Calendar" stuck. I smiled and knew exactly what to do. Noah loves to get trinkets when the pastors hand them out during the Children's Sermon.

A couple weeks ago, I'd found a stack of Advent calendars stashed in a basket on the Sunday School supply shelf. Why not tie in the gospel reading about waiting for Jesus' return to Earth along with the Advent calendars and waiting for Jesus' birthday?

On a piece of paper, I scribbled a couple questions to ask the children, briefly explained – in simple words – the gospel and its relevance to Advent and made an offer for each child to take home a calendar and have their families help them open one window each day to wait for Christmas.

At this morning's early service, our lay-leader full-heartedly agreed about inserting a Children's Sermon into our program as long as I (and not she) presented it. So after Isaac read from the gospel of Mark chapter 13 verses 24-37, I followed up with my intention to draw-in our children.

The program went so well, I left the notes and Advent calendars on the pulpit for the second service when another lay team would lead the congregation. I stuck around during the coffee hour to organize costumes for our Christmas program with another Sunday School teacher who happened to be home for the weekend.

A few minutes before the second service's start, I sought out the sermon presenter. He'd found everything I'd left out and quickly asked, "What's that bit about 'Children's Sermon?'"

"Oh, just something I whipped up for the children," I said knowing that he would be a bit baffled. (In the past when he's read the Pastor's sermon, he's always smiled and half-laughed while excusing himself from not having prepared a Children's Sermon. And I confess, this habit of his was another factor that motivated me into action. I sort of wanted to see him squirm.) He looked around the sanctuary and quipped, "What children? I don't see any children."

I smiled and half-laughed, "Oh! They're here. We had a bunch at first service. And I've seen more hanging out downstairs waiting for second service. Maybe you'd like to draw them in with a Children's Sermon?"

"OOO! I think that's got your name written all over it, Wendy!" he said. Satisfied with his reaction, I nodded, "That's fine! I'll stay."

Soon I came forward once again to explain:

"When all the windows are open, the wait will be over.

Let's pray:


Lord, open our hearts and minds as we wait for you. Amen."

And now my wait was over. Mission accomplished via this Children's Sermon!