Worship Whys

Why does listening matter so much in children’s ministry? Host Dawn Rundman talks with Sierra Keene, project manager for Augsburg Fortress’s Unbridled Presence Project, about how deep listening shaped the project. That includes the Sacred Story Time with Pastor Priscilla podcast and the kid-illustrated Sanctuary Scribes booklets. Sierra shares simple questions to ask about how kids experience welcome in your church, plus a tip for building intergenerational ministry. Her reminder: listen before you build.

Is it ever too early to teach kids the joy of giving? In this episode of Worship Whys, Dawn Rundman of Augsburg Fortress, who holds a PhD in developmental psychology, explains why even the youngest children are ready to learn about stewardship. She shares memories of growing up as a pastor's kid in Escanaba, Michigan, from Sunday school offering envelopes to Lenten quarter folders. She also looks at how kids today experience money differently: tap to pay, gift cards, and digital giving have replaced cash, checks, and the passed offering plate.
Contact - worshipwhys@AugsburgFortress.org.

Why worship leaders need to be ready to support children when large, disruptivesocietal forces show up in our communities. The Gospel tells us to “welcome the stranger,” and Jesus continually reminds us to show compassion to the vulnerable.
In this episode of Worship Whys, host Dawn Rundman talks to the Rev. Andrea Roske-Metcalfe about how she and her Minneapolis church addressed this winter’simmigration crackdown in Minnesota. Pastor Andrea shares how she used her sermons to help children manage their big feelings of fear and grief.
A useful book that Pastor Andrea cites is The Wall: A Timeless Tale, by Carolina Zanotti and Giancarlo Macrì, available wherever books are sold. Thanks again for listening today. We’ll be back with another podcast soon, with the nextepisode of Worship Why’s from Augsburg Fortress.

WHY picture books create excitement for children worshipping at your church!We know that kids are naturally drawn to stories, and books can be a powerful way to lead a children’s message.
In today’s episode of Worship Whys, children’s book editor Naomi Krueger tells host Dawn Rundman how worship leachers can incorporate books to make story time even more irresistible. Naomi mentioned a few titles worship leaders might want to get your hands on to bring into the worship space!
You can find “We Remember Your Baptism” by Meta Herrick Carlson - 
https://www.beamingbooks.com/store/product/9798889836490/We-Remember-Your-Baptism
A book about feelings and fear and roller coasters is “Vera La Valiente Is Scared” by Ana
Siqueira, available https://www.beamingbooks.com/store/product/9781506499185/Vera-La-Valiente-Is-Scared
You can find other books to bring into the worship space at Beaming Books, an imprint of Augsburg Fortress Publishers, at www.beamingbooks.com. 
Happy reading and we’ll be in touch again soon with another episode of Worship Whys.

Why children often learn about their place in the world at church—not justthrough learning the Gospel, but also in how they are invited to participate inworship. 
Pastor Jia Starr Brown brings her own background rooted in the Black church toher conversation with host Dawn Rundman. She has an inspiring message forworship leaders when they must address difficult, painful situations in a worshipsetting. 
Pastor Jia’s goal is to make the gospel accessible to everyone. Listener, thatmeans you!
Learn more about her work and her Stable Study Church at her website,www.jiastarrbrown.com. She is available for preaching, training, event leadershipand speaking, consulting, and more. 
Thanks for listening and we’ll be back in your feed soon with another episode ofWorship Whys.

Why it’s worth making some simple adjustments to make your churchspaces feel more inviting to families.
The very space that is impressive to adults may not feel welcoming to children.In this episode, host Dawn Rundman gets some innovative ideas from JulieMarie Seibert as they discuss why it’s important to look at church spaces througha child’s eyes. Julie Marie brings her background as an educator who createsinclusive museum experiences to this conversation.
Have thoughts on this topic or other ways to connect with kids at church?Dawn would love to hear from you. You can e-mail her at WorshipWhys@AugsburgFortress.org.
We’ll be back again soon with another episode of Worship Whys!

Sounding out words in the bulletin. Becoming an acolyte. Holding the baby in the Christmaspageant.
WHY participating in such classic church rituals, activities, and holiday traditions creates memories and builds faith in children as they come of age. Worship Whys host Dawn Rundman asks her own young adult daughter, Svea, to recall her ownchildhood church experiences from the not-too-distant past. Svea has thoughts about how worship leaders can help kids take pride in participating and find their role in the congregation, with a special shout-out to those cherished “church grandmas.”
Thanks for listening to this episode of Worship Whys! Dawn will be back again soon with another episode and more ideas about how your church can welcome children and their families.

WHY asking young adults who’ve been raised in a faith community can be eye-opening forworship leaders. In this episode, Worship Whys host Dawn Rundman asks a collegesenior—who happens to be her son, Paavo—to reflect on his faith autobiography. Hearing his thoughts on how church membership and activities shaped him provided insight—and some surprises.
Have you requested the faith autobiography of children who came of age in your church? Or asked kids in your own family to share their faith story? Dawn would love to hear your experience. You can email her at
WorshipWhys@AugsburgFortress.org.
We’ll be back again soon!

Welcoming and supporting new moms and their babiesWHY your church should be proactive in advocating for the needs of nursingmothers, both those on church staff and those in your congregation. Youth andFamily Ministry leader Melissa Ramshead talks to Worship Whys host DawnRundman about her real life experiences as the working mother of three youngdaughters. She shares her ideas about important ways to create a supportivespace for the new moms in your church.Please like, follow, subscribe, and share this podcast with your colleagues.That will help us grow our podcast and share more ideas about welcomingchildren in worship. We’ll be back in your feed soon with another episode ofWorship Whys!

Why it takes planning to create an exciting VBS experience that will deepen faithin kids at your church.
Veteran VBS creator Arlene Flancher shares her tried-and-true strategies withWorship Whys host Dawn Rundman. Hear Arlene’s thoughts on which VBSactivities have high impact and pack a punch, versus preparations that are time-consuming but ultimately not worth the trouble.
Ministry leaders, learn more about VBS options here:
https://www.augsburgfortress.org/promos/operation-restoration/
Thanks again for joining us for Worship Whys. Please like, follow, share andsubscribe to our podcast to help us grow our podcast reach.