Community Building

Children's Focus Bibliography

Rev. Paul Beckel
First Universalist Unitarian Church
Wausau, Wisconsin

The Children's Focus is a regular segment of the Sunday Service at First Universalist - right after our Gathering Song, and before the children leave for their classrooms. Below is a list of stories appropriate to this setting - around five minutes long (sometimes requiring a little judicious editing), and both relevant to and consistent with the principles of our worship tradition. Almost all of these are picture books that will easily captivate your audience. A few - without pictures - will require more courage and preparation to tell - but don't be shy, your congregation will love it. These stories are fun, rich, well-received by both children and adults - and probably remembered much longer than my sermons.

The Faithworks editors have chosen some of my "sure bets" and "favorites" but check my website for the complete list. These stories may challenge your congregation more than some of the others, but I have found them richly meaningful. Which brings up an interesting question about the children's focus: how emotionally heavy can you get, here? When I select material for the Children's Focus I am well aware that at times I am bringing up serious issues, with little time for debriefing. So there are some great books that I cannot use. But still, I don't shy from serious issues of life and death, fear and struggle.

I would appreciate additional suggestions of stories. In time I hope to add to this site -- additional stories, links to related resources, and also some deeper discussion about the meaning, purpose, logistics, techniques and alternatives for Children's Focus.

Excerpts from list of 282 items