Children’s Sabbaths® Celebration

In communities nationwide, places of worship join in the meaningful observance of Children’s Sabbaths. These observances occur during customary worship, prayer, educational, or community gatherings. Some places of worship collaborate with others, creating joint events. Others connect with numerous faith leaders and worship spaces for expansive, multi-faith community-wide celebrations.

Grounding Quote:

"Each child belongs to all of us and they will bring us a tomorrow in direct relation to the responsibility we have shown to them." –Maya Angelou

Timeless Theme: A Little Child Shall Lead Them

Isaiah 11:6 (NIV)

The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them.

2024 Inspiration: Unleashing Joy

Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Grounding Quote:

“There is no such thing as a single-issue struggle because we do not live single-issue lives.” –Audre Lorde

WELCOME TO THE NATIONAL OBSERVANCE OF CHILDREN’S SABBATHS® CELEBRATION

Grounding Quote:

“If we give our children sound self-love, they will be able to deal with whatever life puts before them.” -bell hooks

Centering Children’s Voices

Children often are told to express themselves with an inside voice when adults want to quiet down their outbursts and enthusiasm. We do not want to stifle the imaginative spirit of their outside voices. We want children to experience the freedom of being heard. Whether it is the repetition of words and chants that become future freedom songs or reciting poetry that becomes psalms that become songs, on Children’s Sabbaths especially, they deserve to lift and amplify their outside voices. Let them take center stage and lead. Let them remind us how it used to be when we were children. We invite you to listen and hear, really hear, the voices of children as you ground yourself in this important opportunity for ministry. Hear now the voices of some of God’s precious gifts.

We welcome the voices of children, and we welcome the voices of our inner child, asking the children and ourselves:

What if you could be the leader of everything?

Who is God?

What feels fun at school? What is hard about school? What makes you feel happy at school?

What does joy taste like? What makes you laugh?

What if you could be the leader of everything?

Download Kid’s Quotes!

Grounding Quote:

“You’re never too young or too small to change the world.” -Mari Copeny

Children’s Sabbaths Story

WHAT IS CHILDREN’S SABBATHS?

Part of the work is acknowledging that we have not consistently responded faithfully and lovingly to the cries of the children in our communities. The Children’s Sabbaths Celebration is an annual event. The Children’s Sabbaths Celebration is flexible. The Children’s Sabbaths Celebration is trauma-informed.

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RE-IMAGINING A TRAUMA-INFORMED APPROACH: A TRAUMA-INFORMED WOMANIST MODEL

Resist and Rise Model

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Developed Trauma-Informed Content

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A Womanist Ethic

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Grounding Quote:

“You have the ability to change your own life and the world around you.” -Jazz Jennings

Greetings from the Transform Networks Team

Grounding Quote:

“True community is based upon equality, mutuality, and reciprocity. It affirms the richness of individual diversity as well as the common ties that bind us together.” -Pauli Murray

CHILDREN’S SABBATHS HISTORY

Interfaith Children’s Movement and Big Bethel Children’s Sabbaths 2023

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CHILDREN’S SABBATHS HISTORY

The Riverside Church Children’s Sabbaths 2022

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Grounding Quote:

“We cannot be in solidarity if we only operate through our sense of comfort and protection.” -Kevin Lionga Aipopo

SACRED TEXTS ON LOVE AND JUSTICE FOR CHILDREN

The following are four excerpts from sacred texts of each religious tradition. There are, of course, many more passages from sacred texts as well as teachings and practices from each tradition related to poverty, love, justice, children, faith, and action. What inspires, guides, or sustains you from your tradition? What resonates with you from another tradition?

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