It’s a huge responsibility and honor to be given space in a worship service to speak to littles. With 2.5-3 minutes, the intentionality must be clear, practiced, and developmentally appropriate. Anytime I can involve the whole congregation, it’s a win. The congregation needs to see the faces of the littles and the littles need to see the faces of the bigs who vowed to so order their lives to provide great Christian education and training at their baptism.

I’ve started planning beyond week to week with a monthly theme for the children’s moment. With costumes on-hand, I spent a month sharing “Christians are peculiar for Jesus. We’re supposed to be.”

Christians are supposed to be peculiar (odd, strange, unusual). We wear the name of Jesus Christ when we call ourselves Christians no differently than we carry our last names signifying what family we belong to.

In KJV days, peculiar meant “belongs exclusively to some person, group, or thing” or to refer to “a property or privilege belonging exclusively or characteristically to a person.” The word ‘peculiar’ is used seven times in the King James Bible.

With a love for scripture and costumes on-hand, I wore a different costume each week explaining I needed their help to decide what to wear to the Fall Gathering at the end of the month.

Week #1 – Minnie Mouse
Costume is peculiar because the gloves have four fingers on each hand.
Read Romans 12:1-2

Week #2 – Traffic Light
Most people think to live a life for Jesus, I have to say NO like a red light or be fearful living like life is always a yellow light. But our faith in Jesus gives us liberty and a desire to be wise in our freedom. We are indeed peculiar because we are free to doing everything, but to be wise we must ask, “Is it good?”, “Is it beneficial to others?”, “Is it helpful?”, “Is it wise?”, “Is it God’s best for me?”
Read 1 Corinthians 6:12 and 1 Corinthian 10:23-24

Week #3 – Mrs. Potato Head
We are all part of the Body of Christ and all body parts are needed in every local church community. As a Christian everything should be done so that the church may be built up. Every gift and treasure we have is to be used to grow God’s kingdom here on earth and that’s through the local church.
Read 1 Corinthians 14:26b, 1 Peter 2:9-17, and sing “O Be Careful Little Eyes What You See….” Christians are peculiar people because they look for Godly wisdom to discern what is good, true, and beautiful.

Week #4 – S’mores (Graham Cracker)
Graham Crackers are fabulous and enjoyed by preschoolers and babies. But O the yumminess when we gather and join together with a Chocolate Bar (intern) and a Marshmallow (assistant).
Read Hebrews 10:24-25 We spur one another on (spur=kick ourselves into gear). Christians are peculiar people because we make stuff happen and do good in the world best when we work together.

“Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” Titus 2:14