Worship Resources
Worship is the heartbeat of Children’s Sabbaths weekend. It is here that prayer, song, scripture, and creativity gather to lift children’s lives before God and before our communities. This section offers litanies, suggested orders of service, sermon starters, poetry, and creative resources to help shape meaningful worship that centers children’s voices, laments the injustices they face, and proclaims a vision of justice and joy.
The resources provided here are meant to serve congregations of many traditions. You may use them to plan an entire Children’s Sabbath service or weave them into your regular weekly worship. They are designed to be flexible—guides, not prescriptions—so that each community may embody Children’s Sabbath in ways that resonate with its faith, culture, and context.
In the beginning, there were no words. In the beginning was the sound, and they all knew what that sound sounded like.
Toni Morrison, Beloved (1987)
How to Use This Section
- Discern what fits: Choose the prayers, readings, and creative elements that align with your congregation’s worship style and spiritual tradition.
- Blend and adapt: Use a full order of service or integrate single elements (a litany, a poem, or a moment of prayer) into your regular worship rhythm.
- Share broadly: Sermon starters and poems are embedded online for easy use, adaptation, and sharing.
- Print and prepare: Download the full Worship Packet (PDF) if you prefer to work from a single printable resource or to share with your worship team in advance.
This section includes
- Suggested Litany: A responsive prayer for use in worship
- Suggested Orders of Service: Sample outlines for structuring a Children’s Sabbath service
- Creative Worship Resources: Ideas for art, music, drama, and other creative expressions
- Poems: Written prayers and reflections to deepen worship
- Sermon Starters: Outlines and ideas to inspire preaching
- Downloadable Worship Packet (PDF): A single, printable collection of all worship resources for ease of planning
Learn more about the National Celebration of Children’s Sabbaths Service.