Family Worship Question

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  • February 21, 2011 at 9:04 pm
    Heather
    Participant

    Like many posts I have been reading lately, I am wondering about the family worship model in church as opposed to the segregated worship model.  We have already decided that we will not let our children participate in youth group when the time comes, we are having a desire for family worship, but what do you do about Sunday School?  Do you not go?  There is not a Sunday School class for adults in our small church that I feel would be appropriate for children.  I am interested in your thoughts about that.  Right now I teach a 4-5 year old Sunday school class, and two of my children are in it, but next year I won’t be teaching and I wonder if we need to pull out of Sunday School then altogether?

    Thanks!

    February 21, 2011 at 9:51 pm
    Rachel White
    Participant

    I think your hunch that probably SS isn’t necessary for you is right. Ya’ll probably have some form of Scripture study daily during your HS’ling, right? They wouldn’t be missing anything, IMO. The history of the purpose of sunday school was for the unchurched and undiscipled children, not the children who were being trained up in the L-rd, following a Deut. 6, Hebraic model, as yours are.

    They’ll still have other opportunities to interact with the other children of your congregation. Now you’ll have more time on Sunday morning with less rushing around.

    The few times I’ve allowed my children to go to children’s class during the Shabbat service, they find that they already know the material (therefore there’s not enough meat and it’s all review) and the teachers comment that they were helpful in teaching the other children. Well, that’s nice, but it’s not my children’s job to teach the other children; they need to sit at the foot of our Rabbi being fed in order to grow spiritually (in your case at the foot of the Pastor).

    Be prepared to catch some possible flak from people; have an answer prepared in advance so you won’t get offended or perturbed, but serve as a light by your words and convictions with humility. As I’ve told some people who have not let up in their comments: “I appreciate your concern for my children’s spiritual development. However, I’m the parent and G-d gives me the authority to direct their education and this is what my husband and I choose for our family and the Rabbi is fine with it”. End of conversation at that point.

    HTH, Rachel

    February 22, 2011 at 2:54 am
    nebby
    Participant

    I guess it depends on your take. We worship together as a family but I have no problem with my kids going to sunday school classes geared to their ages. I don’t often think they learn much there but I am not usre it does any damage either. I guess it depends why you worship together as a family. Is it just to keep the family all together? For us it is because God’s people are commanded to worship Him, keep the Sabbath and not neglecting fellowshipping together and we believe this applies to our children as well. We at times have been invited to other things like Awana and Vacation Bible schools though which we did not think were a good fit for our family though some of our best friend love them.

    February 23, 2011 at 2:00 pm
    Heather
    Participant

    Thank you ladies for responding.  Rachel, you are right, I already feel like it is not right for us.  Thank you for your encouragement.  I have spoken with hubby about this and he believes we need to gracefully bow out at the end of this teaching year.  I think we may even be able to add in Wednesday night Bible Study with all of the children in our class because we’re dropping Sunday School.

    Thanks again!

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