Introducing Children to Lenten Worship

For many parents and teachers the very image of eternal suffering is a fidgeting child at one's feet or in a pew squirming throughout a two or three hour lenten service. The question arises, and often with painful persistence, as to whether or not these services are within the grasp of younger children (or most adults, for that matter). How much can younger children be expected to understand and how much can adults be expected to endure?
First of all, we must realize children assimilate and understand the life of the church at their own level. Just as one cannot expect a middle-aged mother of four to have the same perspective and understanding of the liturgy as a seasoned professor of theology, one cannot expect the child to understand the life in Christ as an adult. The mother of four brings her own unique life and vision to the church and offers to God a perspective which is entirely different from that of the theologian. It is neither higher or lower, better or worse; it is simply different, and uniquely herown. The same is true of the child. We must be careful that we do not dismiss the child's piety as inconsequential and guard that we do not push him into a posture which is false and foreign. The child understands the liturgy as a child. Young children learn about the world around them by imitation and react to the liturgy in the same manner; waving a prayerbook in the air like the book of the Gospels or swinging a pacifier like a censer. This is their way of entering into the community of the church, our common life in Christ. And let us not forget that they are full members of that Body.
As the child grows older imitative play becomes less and less a part of his method of learning. Children begin to reason and to think about the world in which they live. Both the parent and the church school teacher must be prepared to engage their own minds and experience to help the child discover the world of the liturgy, to help the child offer himself and his life up to God.
Children also need to feel at home in God's house and at the divine services. We should notbesurprised if children wiggle and scream in church if we do not bring them regularly.
We have several tools at our disposal which can be of Great help in acquainting the child with the services of Lent and Holy Week. I would highly recommend the recordings made by the St. Vladimir's Seminary Choir of hymns from the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts, Holy Saturday and Pascha, or other similar records or tapes. Parents and teachers can easily introduce children to the music they will encounter in church by playing these recordings.
Take the time to sit down with your child or your church school class and explain to them what they will see in church, e.g. how the church is dark at the Presanctified Liturgy and how it is bright and white at the Paschal Vigil. Believe me, there is no substitution for time! Discuss the idea of Lent, preparation and return to God. Use images from their world: perhaps a friend they may have offended, or a dog they may have hurt. Explain that we want to be with God and so we take time after our busy day at work or at school to come to church and to receive Holy Communion. Then play several selections from the service you are discussing. You might also choose to make use of the wonderful pamphlets now available through the Department of Religious Education that contain the texts of the services of Holy Week and Pascha. Let the child hold the book and read the text as he listens to the recording. Above all, encourage the child to sing and sing along yourself. It would be best to choose two or three hymns in each service and repeat them several times rather than to play the entire recording once and leave it. "Repetition is the motherof learning."This will give the child something to recognize in the course of the liturgical celebration.
Almost every child can and should be encouraged to learn the troparion of Pascha by heart (Christ is risen from the dead ... ). This will not only be an advantage for the day of Pascha itself, but, as this is the "theme song" of the season, it will play a prominent role in the course of almost every service in the church. One might also add that this troparion should enter into the life of the family at the table during the paschal meal and those that follow until the Leave-taking. Thus the troparion will become a real part of the child's world. Let us all keep in mind as parents and educators that if Christ is not honored in our lives, our efforts at educating others will be marred and handicapped.
These recordings and pamphlets are available from St. Vladimir's Seminary Bookstore: 575 Scarsdale Rd., Crestwood, New York 10707.