chapel wiggles

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So begins another year of sitting in a circle with 18-month to 4-year-olds each Thursday for chapel. Adults know how to be polite if my sermon takes a confusing turn,  if they lose interest, or if it's just; usually adults  try to seem to be engaged. Not so with these little ones.

They will walk in wiggly. They will not want to sit still. They will wonder what I'm talking about.

If I talk, which I try not to do for very long. The best thing is to sing. Sing familiar songs. Hand motions or even dancing helps. If I can bring in show and tell: a bowl made by a friend; a silver chalice; a box with a surprise in it. That helps, too.

So begins another year of learning, and I am the learner. They are teaching me how to teach them. Really, it's the same with the polite adults. We sing, we make hand motions across our bodies in the sign of the cross, and we dance: kneeling, standing, following one another up with open hands to receive God in bread and wine. Show and tell: The Body of Christ, the Bread of Heaven.

As we begin another year, I hope these little ones get as much out of chapel as I do.

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