Spiritual Disciplines
Journeying spiritually with babies and toddlers can prove to be an intimidating experience for many adults. Keeping in mind that small children learn best through observation and experience, congregations who model what it means to practice spiritual disciplines both corporately and individually create effective environments for our little ones. 
John Wesley prescribed works of mercy and piety as those spiritual disciplines that we are to practice as Christians. Including small children in prayer, celebration of the Lord’s Supper, and worship allows them to fully engage in community. A member at Cicero UMC in Cicero, New York shares that their minister “prayed along with” their son when their dog died. This is an example of modeling Christ’s command to love God. What a wonderful formational moment for a child when the pastor and other adults pray with that child in a moment of grief. By engaging in acts of piety, we model for children what it means to love God.
Showing genuine care for each other and the world around us open up an opportunity to talk to small children about what it means to “do good”. Through acts of mercy – visiting the sick and shut-in, feeding the hungry, giving clothes to those in need - congregations live out Christ’s command to love our neighbor and Wesley’s challenge do all the good that we can, modeling good works for children. Our children need to see us doing good, which opens up an opportunity to talk to our children about what it means to “do good”.
Resources:
