Proper Church Etiquette is learned at an early age

This week’s Sunday School lesson about teaching children proper church etiquette was a delight but it was also a topic where a delicate balance had to be achieved.

On the one hand, the children must understand the Holiness of the Church and how to respect visiting the home of the King of Kings. On the other hand, the children must not feel intimidated about going to Church and must be reminded that our Lord’s greatest pleasure is to see His children at church.

 

So, how can we explain to children, that their behaviour at Church

must be different from their behaviour anywhere else?

 

The game of Royalty visiting our class:

We played a little game to illustrate that visiting Church is like receiving a visit from Royalty. To achieve this illusion, my beloved friend Nancy kindly allowed me to dress her up as a “foreign princess”.

 

But, prior to the “Royal Visit”, I explained  to the  children how they must behave in front of royalty:

• Be respectful
• Be quiet
• Sit still
• Do not move around
• Speak when spoken to etc.

When the Foreign Princess arrived at the classroom and the children stood in a row to curtsy.

Then, the  Foreign Princess sat down on her “throne” and the children had to keep quiet unless they were spoken to.

 

While the Foreign Princess was sitting down, everyone had to sit still and not make any movements. And when the Foreign Princess left, the children got up to bid her farewell.

 

Jesus = Royalty: the application:

 

I then explained to the children the similarity between a royal visit and their attending liturgy at Church, the home of the King of Kings, and how we must observe the following rules. These rules are outlined in the curriculum we follow at my church.

 

• Come early. Go and wake Mom and Dad up, telling them to let you and the whole family go and see Jesus early.
• Bow before the sanctuary as soon as you come in. You can do that especially if you come early.
• Never run around inside the church.
• If you enter the church and find that the Gospel is being read, stand still where you are until it is finished, because every attention and respect should be given to the Word of God.
• Do not speak to anyone else. Concentrate on praying to God.
• Do not laugh, be serious.
• When the Gospel is being read, we have to stand up because we must respect the Word of God.
• Sing with the deacons and the congregation.
• Take communion regularly to grow spiritually. Communion helps us to grow in Christ.
• Never leave before the service is finished because the Lord Jesus is there, and nothing outside is more important.

I  also found the following, excellent, video clip to drive the message home.

 

 

 

I pray that you found this Sunday School lesson about teaching children proper church etiquette helpful!

In Christ,

Mireille

Other Sunday School Lesson Plans: An apple led to baptism

Recommended Children’s Book on this topic: Philo and the Patience SuperHoly

Additional Coptic resources on this topic: I am in charge

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