Where Kids "Go to the Office"
Do children think of church as they do a TV show—a once-a-week program? Or is it more like McDonald's—a place that's open every day?
Birchwood Baptist Church in Independence, Missouri, has a whole generation of kids who know that church is "their kind of place," where friendly people work all week.
During Vacation Bible School each summer, teachers arrange with the secretaries to give eight to ten youngsters at a time a 15-minute tour of the church office. They see firsthand what goes on during the week.
"We introduce them to the pastor in his office," says Gayle Hilligoss, secretary. "Then I show them the equipment we use. They're fascinated by the folding machine that does our bulletins. And I show them the Rolodex that has each of their names and birthdays listed."
The highlight of the tour is getting their own names in Kroy lettering tape to stick onto their shirts, and receiving a colorful certificate that they watched come through the copier.
"We want the children to know we're friends," says Hilligoss, "that there are people here who care about them."
"Now, lots of children will bring their mothers in to the office to meet us," says Hilligoss. "And almost all of them wave as they walk by. They feel like the office is theirs, and they know that a lot goes on during the week."
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