Jesus calls us to be like children, asking, ‘Are we nearly there yet?’ not to be looking back, worrying if we left the cooker on, or locked the door. And however grown-up we may feel, we need to stick together: Adam and Eve were a team who needed each other – and God. Relationships don’t always work as we intended but they are still important. Whatever our social structures are now, we still all need to work with each other as equals. Be brave and ask the children what they like and don’t like about church, to find out how welcome they feel.

To see what adults can learn from children, watch a ‘Kid’s Bible History’ on YouTube.

Active worship

You could use Receive as little children from ROOTS Adult & All Age Issue 79, p.25 of the magazine.

A gathering prayer

Gather now, before God,
women and men, boys and girls,
all equal in the sight of the Lord.
God is to us father and mother,
and in Christ we are one.
Therefore greet one another
in the certainty of love and belonging.
Amen.

A prayer for all ages together

We link hands (hold hands with people on either side),
boys and girls, women and men (squeeze hands gently).
We link arms (link arms)
because we rely on each other.
Our lives are linked.
We help one another along.
Lord, help us to know that we belong to one another,
together and with you.
Amen.