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This Advent, the CGSUSA Good Shepherd and the Child podcast episode “Invitation to Hope in Advent” (Episode 157) offers a rich way to enter the season with deeper perspective. Advent is framed not only as a time to remember Jesus’ birth long ago, but as a time of hope-filled preparation for Christ’s presence today—and for the unknown time of Jesus coming again. CGS USA
That theme connects beautifully to last spring’s Level III work with the History of the Kingdom of God, especially the Fettuccia (ribbon) lesson. When the 150-yard ribbon was unrolled through the church—from the Narthex to the High Altar—it gave the children a tactile, visual sense of salvation history’s vastness and unity: creation’s mystery, the long preparation of the world, the brief yet world-changing time of Jesus’ life, the “today” where redemption continues, and then the white ribbon of the future—the “blank page” that stretches toward Parousia, when Christ comes again and God’s love fills all creation. Listening to this episode can help carry that same insight into Advent at home: history is real, God’s promise is close, and the present moment matters. The weeks ahead become not just a countdown to Christmas, but an invitation to live with hope—collaborating with God, one “yes” at a time, as the Kingdom continues to unfold 
 My mother, who helped with Faith Formation at her church many years ago, loves to tell the story of the day she talked about prayer with her class of first graders. She explained that we can talk to God anytime and anywhere, not just in church. One little boy raised his hand with a look of serious concern. “No, that’s not true,” he said firmly. “I definitely can’t pray while I’m riding my bike.” “Of course you can,” my mom replied gently. “Nope. Not possible,” he insisted. “Why not?” she asked. “Because,” he said matter-of-factly, “if I let go of the handlebars to put my hands together, I’ll fall off and hurt myself!” Sometimes we carry very specific ideas about what prayer is supposed to look like. But beyond folded hands, formal words, or traditional postures, there are countless ways to connect with God. That’s something it’s taken me well into adulthood to understand, and something I hope our children can discover early: that prayer is a way of being with God, not just words we recite. What Is Prayer? The Book of Common Prayer (p. 856) tells us that prayer is "responding to God, by thought and by deeds, with or without words." This means that children can pray not only by speaking or listening, but also through art, music, movement, silence, and acts of love. Episcopal teaching identifies several principal kinds of prayer:
In our Faith Formation classes on Sunday, we might light a candle together in quiet reflection, draw pictures in response to a Bible story, walk a labyrinth, or sit peacefully in a prayer corner. Children sometimes journal their thoughts, arrange flowers for our prayer table, or simply rest in silence with God. At home, families can nurture this kind of prayer through nature walks, creating a small sacred space, listening to calming music, using prayer beads, keeping a gratitude journal, or taking a few moments of stillness together. Recently, I’ve discovered that even baking can be a form of prayer (a delicious addition to my spiritual practice!). These gentle, open-ended practices invite children and grown-ups to experience God’s love in everyday life. The Role of Formal Prayer Around the age of seven, many children are ready to begin memorizing prayers like the Lord’s Prayer. These formal, memorized prayers become touchstones of comfort and connection, grounding children in the rhythms of our shared worship and giving them words to lean on when their own may be hard to find (Stewart, 2024). Praying Compline with your children, even just a few lines at bedtime, can become a cherished ritual, offering a peaceful close to the day and gently rooting them in the beauty and tradition of the Church’s prayer life (Lifelong Formation, Praying compline with your children 2023) . Encouraging Prayer at Home Parents and guardians are a child’s first and most enduring spiritual guides. Prayer at home can be simple and joyful:
Resources for Family Prayer
As Gianna Gobbi writes in Listening to God with Children, “Prayer is, first of all, listening to God… it is a key which belongs to God, but which God gives to all. Our role is to gently guide, not instruct, and to model lives that are open to prayer." How beautiful it is that prayer can take so many forms—spoken or silent, sung or drawn, whispered in nature or felt in motion, even during something as simple as riding a bike.  Works Cited Gobbi, G., & Rojcewicz, R. (2000). Listening to God with children: The Montessori method applied to the catechesis of children. Treehaus Communications.
Formation, L. (2023, August 2). Praying compline with your children. The Episcopal Church. https://www.episcopalchurch.org/lifelongformation/praying-compline-with-your-children/ Stewart, M. (2024, March 9). A pitch for memorization. The Living Church. https://livingchurch.org/covenant/a-pitch-for-memorization/ The online Book of Common Prayer. (n.d.). The Online Book of Common Prayer. https://www.bcponline.org/ It is with deep sadness and compassion that we extend our thoughts and prayers to those affected by the devastating flooding in Texas. Our thoughts are with every individual and community affected by this tragedy. In spite of the lengths parents and teachers go to safeguard our children from tragedy, their lives are regularly and inextricably touched by trauma. Although it may seem difficult to broach such scary topics, children often know when something bad or frightening has happened and may experience a range of unsettling feelings as a result. Some thoughts on how to talk to children when hard things happen here: https://jfsdallas.org/how-to-talk-to-kids/  Back in my days of parenting little ones, silence in a house full of kids was suspicious. Noted discoveries included the three year old quietly adding artistic embellishments to the new sofa with a purple Sharpie and the toddler using the craft scissors for DIY a haircut. But even when quiet time wasn’t related to mischief, any bit of silence (rare as it was) made me feel uneasy. Are they bored? Shouldn’t they be clamoring away and something productive? But now, in my days of teaching little ones, I’ve learned that silence can a good thing and something children actually need and crave.  Image Source: (The silence game in nature - empowering children with mindfulness 2025) In her groundbreaking work with children, Dr. Maria Montessori once posed a simple challenge: "One day I had the idea of using silence to test the children's keenness of hearing, so I thought of calling them by name, in a low whisper.... This exercise in patient waiting demanded a patience that I thought impossible.” Dr. Maria Montessori To her amazement, more than 40 children sat completely still, waiting eagerly to hear their names. She offered them sweets as a reward afterward, but they refused. The game brought joy, achievement, and a beautiful sense of community. Montessori later wrote that the Silence Game brings “a discipline composed of calmness and inner beatitude.” Montessori Services, 1976  Modern research supports what Montessori observed long ago. A 2021 study found that children who regularly experience silent reflection demonstrate stronger emotional control and a greater capacity for self-awareness (Kerr, 2021). In adults, even short moments of silence have been linked to reduced heart rate and blood pressure, offering real physical and mental benefits (Pellegrini, Rotondo, & Mercurio, 2023). Other studies have shown that moments of silence can improve focus and attention, reduce stress and anxiety, support emotional regulation, foster empathy and connection, and strengthen memory and brain development (Bufalino, 2024, Kirste et al., 2015).  Practicing Silence In our Faith Formation classes at Calvary, we have a favorite activity called "Making a Silence." We invite children to be still and quiet using a chime to focus attention. This is never a forced silence. It’s a gift, an invitation. These moments are sacred pauses in our busy weeks, spaces where children (and adults) can encounter stillness and peace. In addition to these ideas for quiet time at home, Calvary has some uniquely beautiful spaces for quiet reflection and prayer. Here are a few ideas to try:
Helping our children become comfortable with silence is more than a calming exercise. It encourages them to listen to God’s whisper in their hearts (just be sure to hide the Sharpies). “I think silence is one of the greatest gifts we have.” ~Fred Rogers Sources
It’s always remarkable to watch as our garden springs to life and begins to blossom! Maybe it’s the joy of seeing tiny seeds grow or just the quiet peace that comes from observing God’s creation, our garden helps us grow too. As Jesus said in the Parable of the Growing Seed (Mark 4:26–29), the Kingdom of God grows all around us, often in ways we can’t see or explain, just like our tomato plants that seem to double in size overnight! A big thanks to the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh Social Justice and Outreach (SJO) Committee for awarding Calvary the Garden Grant for the 2025-26 fiscal year, helping us maintain this fruitful ministry. Have you noticed? Everything is green! Not just outside but in the church as well—the altar hangings, the priests' vestments, all a vibrant shade of green. That’s because we’ve entered Ordinary Time, the season of growth in the Church year. While the name Ordinary Time might sound uneventful, this long, green season in the Church’s calendar is anything but “ordinary.” So what does “ordinary” refer to in this context? It doesn’t mean plain or unimportant. The word comes from the Latin ordinalis, meaning “numbered” or “in order.” These are the counted weeks of the Church year—First Sunday after Pentecost, Second Sunday, and so on—when we walk steadily through the life of faith (The Episcopal Diocese of Olympia, 2022). The purpose of Ordinary Time is to order our lives to Christ’s.  Image Source: https://www.saintsjamesandandrew.org/sermons/teaching-sermon-the-church-calendar-and-the-liturgical-year During our Faith Formation classes, we often refer to Ordinary Time as “The Growing Season”. Just as green is the color of life and hope, this season invites us to grow spiritually (Blais, 2021). Children learn about this when we explore the liturgical calendar together. We see that the life of the Church revolves around the life of Christ. This introduces the child to the concept that the Liturgy is structured or ordered and, like nature, follows a predictable path containing seasons and events (CGSUSA, 2023).  Why can't it always be Christmas? I’ll admit--as a child, I thought Ordinary Time meant boring time. No Advent wreaths, no Easter flowers, no waving of palms or candlelit vigils. But over the (many) years I’ve come to appreciate that Ordinary Time isn’t about being dull—it’s about being steady. And in a world that’s constantly rushing toward the next big thing, there’s something beautiful about slowing down and growing quietly. This reminds me of our vegetable garden which we planted last month. Just like a garden doesn't grow in a single day, our faith grows gradually—with sunlight, water, weeding, and care. It's a season of slow but steady transformation. Ideas for Celebrating Ordinary TimeAt Church:
So even without elaborate decorations or big feast days, Ordinary Time is one of the most meaningful seasons we share. It teaches us that God meets us in the middle of real life—and that’s never boring. Keep on Growing! Sources All About the Atrium CGSUSA Parent Newsletter Ordinary Time. CGSUSA. (n.d.). https://www.cgsusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/all-about-the-atrium-ordinary-time-.pdf
Blais, Rev. H. (2021, December 5). Teaching sermon: The church calendar and the liturgical year. The Episcopal Church of Saints James and Andrew. https://www.saintsjamesandandrew.org/sermons/teaching-sermon-the-church-calendar-and-the-liturgical-year What is ordinary time?The Episcopal Diocese of Olympia. (2022, June 12). https://ecww.org/what-is-ordinary-time/ Pentecost is one of the most significant feast days in the Christian year. It marks the moment when the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples like a rushing wind and tongues of fire (Acts 2:1–4). Empowered by this gift, the disciples began to speak in many languages, sharing the good news of Jesus with the world. Pentecost is often called the birthday of the Church because it was the beginning of the Church’s mission to spread the Gospel. The color of Pentecost is red, symbolizing the fire of the Holy Spirit and the energy of God's love at work in the world. Don't forget: Strawberries and Ice Cream will be served after both 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM services-a sweet way to mark this joyful day together as a parish family! For more about Pentecost, check out: Faith@Home Ways to Celebrate at Home
For Children Ages 3–6 (First Plane of Development) In this sensitive period, children absorb their environment deeply and respond to beauty, order, and quiet contemplation.
Children in this stage are eager to explore connections, ask big questions, and understand stories more deeply.
Older children begin to think abstractly and long to understand their place in the larger story of salvation.
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