Church Attendance with a Difference: An Observation Exercise for All Grades

Most Sunday Schools take their children to church for just part of the liturgy. Since there are many more Sundays when Sunday School is not in session and families can worship together, this is fine. Make your students' attendance participatory and thoughtful by sending them into church with something for them to do. You can probably add other ideas to this list:

1. Observe the congregation: How many? What are they doing? How old are they?
2. Sketch or just diagram with words all you see along the front wall (including the altar) of the church. Older students love this.
3. List gestures and words of the priest.
4. Describe the actions of the deacon.
5. Follow one page of the English translation of the pew book. Any surprises?
6. Count crosses.
7. Itemize all things made of metal on the altars and on the chancel.
8. Observe use of the pourvar (censer).
9. Describe scenes or people depicted in stained glass windows or paintings. Can any be found in Bible? Where? What do those stories tell us?
10. Describe your priest’s vestments.
11. Notice when people cross ourselves. How many times do they during the service? When do they do it?
12. Count the number of people who take communion.