This service was developed after watching our congregation go through a covenant developing process. I felt our children needed to better understand what it is that we as a congregation went through and why.

LIGHT CHALICE

LIGHT SHARING CANDLES - it is a tradition with our younger classes to light candles, to share things with our classmates, or to just light one for the joy of that!

GAME - CHOOSING SIDES from a Jr. High curriculum on establishing a covenant: Have a line marked or the floor (tape works well here and doesn't move on you), let the children know which end is designated for Very, Somewhat, and Not at All (I used a + and - sign at each end). Tell the children you will ask them a series of questions and they are to find the spot on the line that represents their response to each question.

Questions asked:

• How much do you like hot fudge sundaes?
• How much do you like your church school this year?
• How much do you like baseball?

Debrief - I asked the children if they felt OK with sharing their opinions with the others in the group. We discussed how everyone needs to feel safe to be able to share feelings, opinions, and thoughts with others, some of whom they might not know too well.

DISCUSSION - What is a covenant? was asked, then we shared the new covenant that our congregation had been working on for a while - many in the group had trouble relating to this since it was in adult language. Next we shared the covenants that each class had made in the beginning of the church school year. I had a member or two from each class read from the one from their class. We then worked on making a covenant with each other, keeping these thoughts in mind - what kind of person do I need to be for all of us to be able to work together and feel safe? As we brainstormed I had the children write down their ideas on a piece of poster board, where I had written "Children's Covenant" on the top.

SNACK

CLOSING - sing "Go Now in Peace" around the chalice:
Go now in peace
Go now in peace
May the spirit of love surround you
Everywhere, everywhere you may go.