The Praise and worship program in most Christian homeschooling programs is designed to teach kids about Jesus. This may be a fine thing to do, but it’s important to realize that there are some limits to what this kind of program can do. For one thing, these kinds of time schedules conflict with other school activities and school routines, such as school sports and extracurricular activities. Secondly, there may be an unwillingness among parents to adjust these worship time schedules around other programs. Finally, for many families, the timing and tradition of these programs lend itself to being pretty flexible.
The Praise and Worship calendar is set out on the wall in the beginning of every school year. It may be read and reread year after year, but it’s essentially an invitation for parents and students to participate in Bible studies and prayer during the school year. “Service dates: Sundays at 8am; October 31st; Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 28th; and December 14th.” That kind of basic responsibility should inform students and parents how they’ll fulfill their obligations to this special group. The goal isn’t to make all children or all students responsible for every little thing; the goal is to get them thinking and doing basic responsibilities in the way that’s right for them, and it’s up to parents and students to decide what those basic responsibilities are.
During the week of October, the only day of the week that most homeschoolers are free (because of work, school, or family emergencies) is church. In the months of November and December, a lot more of the general population is available to be a part of the celebration of Christmas, New Year’s Eve, and Hanukkah, though not all kids will be able to attend services. Most homeschoolers have two weeks of vacation time between October and April. On that same week, most schools will have New School, which means most kids won’t have classes the days after this holiday. In some cases, like the Worship Center, the school might be closed the day before or the day after, though this is not usually the case. If a child can’t go to church on the regular Sunday, the best option may be to find an alternative.
What kinds of basic responsibilities will your child or children have during the week of October? The first few Sundays of the year are reserved for worship. The music for the service can be either worship songs hymns, or a special written worship song. According to the Book of Discipline, no child may give God “a reason to justify you.” Sunday morning programs for the ward meeting highlight these basic responsibilities.
The week of avocation, which is the last two weeks of October, is a time for students to pursue their own interests. It’s also a time when family members gather for meals, discuss important news, relax, and generally have time for each other. During this time, no one in particular has the responsibility of being the “Worship Center Service Worker.” This is why the primary goal of this ministry is to celebrate the role that everyone plays in the ward and provide the tools necessary for students and parents to have the best possible week of worship.
If you are looking for a way to celebrate the role that everyone plays in our ward, the Worship Center Services are designed to be a support system for all students, both young and old. They emphasize the important role that every student plays in our community and want to help them understand and fulfill their role. If you are looking for a way to honor your student in the most meaningful way possible, then the Worship Center Services can provide the space and planning necessary to celebrate this important time of the year. If you would like to celebrate the purpose of this ministry as well as other important times throughout the year, the staff at the Worship Center Services can make sure that it remains a priority for everyone in attendance.