Comments on: Child Dedication Service and Follow-up http://www.jonathancliff.com/2009/10/child-dedication-service/ Life, Family Ministry, and Life Again Wed, 08 Feb 2012 03:31:00 +0000 hourly 1 By: Dionne Merriott http://www.jonathancliff.com/2009/10/child-dedication-service/comment-page-1/#comment-748 Dionne Merriott Fri, 16 Oct 2009 12:46:35 +0000 http://www.jonathancliff.com/?p=1142#comment-748 I've been following the posts about child dedication and had a idea for a more personalized gift for the parents. The screen that is shown when the child is introduced with their photo and scripture verse could be made into an 8 x 10 photo for the parents. You could include the photo, family photo, scripture, and the priciples you go over in the parenting class. This could be framed and given to the parents to hang as a visual reminder of their commitment. It would incorporate some of the information in the Dedication book that you mentioned from another site, but would be something that parents would see every day. I really like seeing the dedication photo and information that is shown, but with so many children it isn't up long enough to read it all. This would be a way to have it be a permanent keepsake for the parents. I’ve been following the posts about child dedication and had a idea for a more personalized gift for the parents. The screen that is shown when the child is introduced with their photo and scripture verse could be made into an 8 x 10 photo for the parents. You could include the photo, family photo, scripture, and the priciples you go over in the parenting class. This could be framed and given to the parents to hang as a visual reminder of their commitment. It would incorporate some of the information in the Dedication book that you mentioned from another site, but would be something that parents would see every day.

I really like seeing the dedication photo and information that is shown, but with so many children it isn’t up long enough to read it all. This would be a way to have it be a permanent keepsake for the parents.

]]> By: Ellen http://www.jonathancliff.com/2009/10/child-dedication-service/comment-page-1/#comment-744 Ellen Thu, 15 Oct 2009 17:36:52 +0000 http://www.jonathancliff.com/?p=1142#comment-744 For many years, our dedications once we had at least 3 kids ready to do it. We're a smaller church, so sometimes we didn't do it for a year, which led to having highly active children trying to race back down the aisles! We're now doing them individually whenever the parents are ready. The pastor has the family answer a set of questions about their willingness to raise their child in the faith community, and the congregation is asked to support this family's spiritual growth as well. We present a beautiful book (Psalms for Young Children, by Marie-Helene Delval, illustrated by Arno) and a certificate. Because our church is very missions-minded, the children's ministry also makes a donation in honor of the child to our church's birthing kit project, which packs and sends basic medical supplies for home birth to women in Kenya. The best part, though, is that we ask people to get out of the pews and lay hands on the family and the child while we pray for them. It is so moving to watch as parents realize the depth of the congregation's support for them and their child. For many years, our dedications once we had at least 3 kids ready to do it. We’re a smaller church, so sometimes we didn’t do it for a year, which led to having highly active children trying to race back down the aisles! We’re now doing them individually whenever the parents are ready. The pastor has the family answer a set of questions about their willingness to raise their child in the faith community, and the congregation is asked to support this family’s spiritual growth as well. We present a beautiful book (Psalms for Young Children, by Marie-Helene Delval, illustrated by Arno) and a certificate. Because our church is very missions-minded, the children’s ministry also makes a donation in honor of the child to our church’s birthing kit project, which packs and sends basic medical supplies for home birth to women in Kenya.
The best part, though, is that we ask people to get out of the pews and lay hands on the family and the child while we pray for them. It is so moving to watch as parents realize the depth of the congregation’s support for them and their child.

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