# Children and Lord's Day services



## daveb (Nov 24, 2005)

In my experience there have usually been children's programs that take place during the worship service on the Lord's Day. These are done so the children will not distract their parents or those around them during the sermon.

Would it not be beneficial for the children to remain in the service with their family instead of removing them? 

As the directory for family worship states:



> VIII. On the Lord's day, after every one of the family apart, and the whole family together, have sought the Lord (in whose hands the preparation of men's hearts are) to fit them for the publick worship, and to bless to them the publick ordinances, the master of the family ought to take care that all within his charge repair to the publick worship, *that he and they may join with the rest of the congregation*


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## Pilgrim (Nov 24, 2005)




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## Scot (Nov 24, 2005)

The only time that I remove my children from worship is if they need a smack on the behind as a reminder of how to behave. Then, when they're done crying, I take them back in. 

Sometimes if the baby is fussy my wife will take her out for a little while but she's only between 3 and 4 months old. The 10 year old is no problem. My 5 year old boy and 4 year old girl have not had to be taken out for correction in quite awhile. The two year old is still learning and needs to be reminded frequently.

I believe that children should be in the worship service with the adults.


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## turmeric (Nov 25, 2005)

Call me what you will. Our sanctuary is very prone to echoes, all it takes is someone talking in the back to make it very hard to hear the speaker even with a microphone. We do provide a nursery but many people don't use it. Babies are one thing, toddlers old enough to say words are another. They talk quite a bit and they don't always use their "inside voices" either. I could say the same about some adults who attend.


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## Contra_Mundum (Nov 25, 2005)

If children aren't in church with the parents, a family event, then they just grow up thinking there's one thing for kids, then that grownup stuff. Then, the grownup stuff turns out to be kinda boring, compared to the other stuff I could be doing. So, soon, in order to keep the "youth" tuned-in to church, there will need to be a "contemporary service" that speaks to them "on their terms."

Oh, yea. I guess we're already there, and way past it too...


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