I also work for a church related foundation. I have a masters in the divinity. (I say "the" because I believe in the one big G--for all people. Even the gays. I say "the" here because someone told me "the gays" did something once. And I was all... you mean ALL of them? He said yes. I shook my head in his ignorance.)
Yah, this post is alllllllll about a statement. (I'll write another one about how I just bought some calypso for target items in the girls section at a later point.)
Anyway, for Mother's Day I went to church with the 'rents. Took the G$. Dropped him off in the nursery, where moments later I could hear him screaming in the sanctuary--so could everyone else. So I went to get him. I brought him back in... and he decides to talk. So I take him back out. Here's the thing... I'm all about having kids in a service and out of a service. I think there is a certain age that they should be in the nursery and an age that they can sit in the service. I think kids have a place. I think their noises are precious. Not everyone agrees.
*****Note. I'm all about the nursery. I think that if a kid is SUPER distracting--go to the nursery. Which is why I got up and left--and why I took him there in the first place (before the screaming began) so I could enjoy church without worrying about entertaining my kid. I'm also for children's church. However--what I wasn't for was having a 7 year old in the nursery along with 2-3 year olds and my baby. The church is tiny so there weren't different rooms or the option for children's church. So if your baby is loud, can't sit still, etc get em out. A few peeps aren't a big deal. don't get upset that you aren't attracting young families when there are no young people there.
This church where they are trying to reach young people, have a young pastor with 2 kids (..... old enough to be in the congregation... maybe 8 and 6 in the nursery?) I was told, by one person, 2 times where I could find the nursery. Thank you. Not welcoming. Should I be visiting... I probably wouldn't again. I think it's sad.
Do we love the church more than we can love the point of it?
3 comments:
Okay so here's my thoughts on this... I am actually a huge fan of nurseries and even more so, kid's church. For different reasons. First of all, it a young babe is just laying in church, no big deal, but then the older they get the louder they get and it can get distracting. I feel like nothing is more annoying than kids climbing all over the place when I'm trying to hear the Word. then... I feel like kids are bored in "big church". I love a kid's church where they can learn on their level. They'll like it more and maybe won't feel like they're being dragged to church.
However, if a person chooses to keep their kid in church with them, that is their choice. Just because it's not for me, doesn't mean it's the right way.
Does this make sense? Are we still friends?!? ;)
oh oh oh, clarification... I'm also ALLLLLL about a nursery and children's church. I will go back and edit this. Such details are important. :)
We now have a nursery! But babies are also very welcome in church. Frankly, we really don't care. We just want to welcome people however they come. And if someone was really distracting, I guess we'd have to talk to them and not just point them to a sign that gives them a hint...that's just how we roll.
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