Adult Tasks For Children

In every service I conduct, I make an effort to include original spiritual input of some sort from the congregation. Sometimes this includes children -- and sometimes it means asking children to do typically adult tasks. As one example, I have asked children to lead our Sunday prayers. That does not merely mean reading prayers, but composing prayers. OBSERVATION: The results have been surprising. I do not remember having been disappointed by a child -- rather, impressed. They do receive guidelines, though not always coaching. Occasionally parents have told me that they didn't want coaching even from their parents -- they wanted this to be their prayers.