Growing up on a Pew

pew
   /pyu/ Show Spelled[pyoo] Show IPA
–noun
1.
(in a church) one of a number of fixed, benchlike seats with backs, accessible by aisles, for the use of the congregation.
2.
an enclosed seat in a church, or an enclosure with seats, usually reserved for a family or other group of worshipers.
3.
those occupying pews; congregation.


Did you know about #3? If I call you pew next time I see you, don't get offended.


They are found in churches and flee markets,they are sometimes hard but a lot of people actually find rest in them :)

Well to say I grew up on a pew isn't altogether true - by the time I got out of the nursery my parents were starting a church - in a high school. No pews there. Then by the time I was into Jesus, like in following him and showing others by baptism we met at the YMCA- (and it was fun to stay at the...)I walked the "isle" at the Y!!! I was baptized in an Olympic size swimming pool. And when we finally built a church we got nifty chairs you could stack and move around- it was a multifunctional building. So I don't really have much experience on a "pew".

I have much experience listening to God's word being preached- it is my heritage and I am so thankful. God's word has brought me through many ups and downs in this life, I love how it speaks, it convicts and it leads.

I now find myself raising kids on the pew. My philosophy of worship was rocked several years ago when I heard Robbie Castleman speak at a conference about parenting in the pew. In fact she wrote an unbelievable book about it. So here's the review but the book is worth buying.

1. Worship is not about us, it's not for our convenience nor entertainment
2. We are bringing our children to God in thanksgiving for them and to train them to fear, honor and respect God
3. Sacrifice has always been at the center of worship, bringing our children to Christ each week takes sacrifice on our part
4. Children "get" the worship experience much more than we think when we include them in each thing we do (sing, read, listen, give, pray)and don't try to merely pacify them with other things (candy, video games, cell phones or non related books)


I didn't set off to write about that I wanted to show you what my boy did last week during the service. I love kids. LOVE THEM! I love creativity...please don't bore me with "packaged" play-

Our church has envelopes for the money you donate. The are available in the "pew" ahead of you. Here's a nice one for the month of love...




I actually had a Catholic coworker laugh over the term "love offering" onetime. While the other Southern Baptist girl with me and I knew exactly what that meant,our Catholic coworker thought the term was quite funny. And after I thought about it, it is quite funny.


And here's the back of the envelope...



Well he didn't give any money that day, but he found other uses for it...




And while I don't promote using the envelopes for this purpose- I had to keep this one for the scrapbooks because he made the mouth out of the loop. Ingenious!

Now why does the envelope have a loop like that in the first place? This question has never come up in business meeting but I have my theories.....