Miriam is a quiet, reserved 11-year-old in our congregation. Every week, she and her family sit together in the pews during our family-style church service. Like all the children, she sees the pastor and other leaders up front leading worship—but for Miriam, it’s hard to imagine herself ever doing that. She doesn’t play an instrument, and she doesn’t enjoy speaking in front of people.
Is there a place for Miriam to serve in the church?
Many kids like Miriam may be asking similar questions: Where do I fit in at church? Does the church even need me? These questions led our children’s ministry team to partner with other ministry leaders to plan a special child-led Sunday service.
As any church leader knows, a lot of work goes into a Sunday service that people never see. There are so many important ways to serve that often go unnoticed, especially by children. We spent one Sunday school lesson teaching kids about all the different areas of church ministry, from who unlocks the doors and turns on the lights, to ushers, hospitality, multimedia, translation, worship, and setting the altar for communion.
Miriam, who loves to bake, made cookies and peach cobbler to serve during coffee hour. She came an hour early to set up alongside the hospitality ministry leader. During the hour before the service, each ministry leader took a group of kids behind the scenes to show them how things are done—how to pour the communion wine into the little cups, how to set the Lord’s table, how to operate the spotlight, how to welcome newcomers to the church and more.
Our congregation is predominantly Hispanic, and most of our service is in Spanish, but the sermon is always simultaneously translated into English for those who prefer it. This is a challenging but important ministry in our multiethnic, multigenerational church. Many of our kids grow up in bilingual households, uniquely gifted to take part in this ministry. What a powerful way to use their multilingual abilities to share the Gospel!
Each week, a teacher leads a children’s devotional during the service, before the sermon, to help them follow along. This week, one of the kids co-led the devotional with her Sunday school teacher and led the group in prayer at the end. Other kids greeted people at the door, helped dismiss pews for communion, and supported the tech team. It was so important for them to see just how many ways there are to serve on a Sunday—many of them behind the scenes, but all of them essential.
It was beautiful to watch the kids learning side-by-side with adults they may not have known previously—seeing the wider body of Christ at work. In a time when many congregations are aging and fewer young people are attending church regularly, raising up the next generation of leaders is crucial. We need to show kids that they are valuable, integral members of the congregation now, and that they can serve in meaningful ways today—not just someday.
I hope this child-led service isn’t a one-time event. I hope it inspires kids to step up regularly, and for ministry leaders to continue inviting kids to serve alongside them. Every child has a place in the church, and no matter their gifts or personality, God can use them in powerful ways.
When I left the church that day, I saw Miriam washing dishes alongside the ministry leader. She had found her place—humble, quiet, servant leadership. I hope every child found a new way to serve this Sunday, and that the congregation saw and appreciated the importance of letting children lead and serve.
Guest Author
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Diana Soerens
Diana Soerens is a volunteer Sunday school teacher at Iglesia Evangélica Luterana San Pablo in Aurora, IL. A modern language teacher turned homeschool mom, she is passionate about helping children grow in their faith. You can find her most days with her four kids at the library or on a field trip.