"The Spirituality of Parenting"

I've always been a fan of the radio program Speaking of Faith with Krista Tippett Recently, I listened to the episode entitled "Spiritual Parenting" http://speakingoffaith.publicradio.org/programs/spiritualityofparenting/index.shtml and it inspired me to begin this blog. If you are a parent, grandparent, caregiver, or godparent I encourage you to find an hour to listen to this on your computer (at work, while surfing the web, while reconciling your checkbook) or on your MP3 player (in the car, while working out, while waiting for your child's practice to finish).
This segment is an interview with Rabbi Sandy Sasso. I have several of her children's books in my collection, and loved their beauty and insightfulness the moment I saw them. For her, spirituality is both simple and enormous, challenging and embracing, joyful and serious.
I hope that you make the effort to multi-task this podcast into your life over the next few weeks, and then take a moment to respond here about your thoughts.

The best Kid-Friendly Service yet!

Harcourt Parish had a fantastic Kid-Friendy Service on the morning of Sunday, December 24th. Children were an active part of our simple Eucharist which began with all the children processing pieces of the crèche to the front. After some singing, Amy (Ella's mom) read “The Nativity” storybook as our gospel. Next, all children were involved with our Christmas Pageant. Tarin, Kennedy, and Mark played a family with questions about the nativity and various other youth and children were our manger scene answering their questions. Prayers of the People included coloring pages and fill-in-the blanks. Parents were encouraged to take these home and complete them with their children as an aid to prayer in the home. Children then sang “The Little Drummer Boy” with the older children singing the words and the preschoolers singing the ‘pa rum pa pum pum’s. Children were then invited to come forward for the Eucharistic Prayer and were very well-behaved while behind the altar. Most children took part in the elevation and were able to lift up their own host (bread) as Rector Helen lifted the wine at the concecration.

Several pre-schoolers have been asking to come to church since, and at least one has decided that behind the altat is the proper place for him to be during the Eucharistic Prayer (even if it makes his mom--me--nervous)!