Tips on Bringing Children to Holy Week
  • Bring them in their pajamas if that helps.
  • Leave early if you need to.  Better for them and you to have a good experience and leave wanting more, than to leave in tears and frustration vowing never to come back again. Let them know ahead of time that you are going for just a bit of the service because it is important to you (as the parent). This way they won't feel like they are being punished by leaving early.
  • Talk with them before each service about the holy day. Thursday = day when Jesus washed his disciples feet and/or began the practice of Holy Communion. Friday = the day Jesus died. Saturday/Sunday = the day Jesus rose from the dead.
  • Bring a simple, non-messy snack for them to munch on during the service.
  • Ask a priest if there is something the child can help with during the service.
  • Sign-up to take a part in the service (you as a parent), and let your child stand by you while you do.
  • Bring reinforcements - if available, a family friend, godparent, or grandparent can be a really helpful presence with kids to help them stay calm.
  • There isn't Sunday School or Nursery on these days, intentionally: we want children to grow up experiencing and enjoying these services.
  • Finally, while all are important, we find Thursday and Saturday nights the most engaging to be at. Friday is a long service with lots of words: very powerful, but long and wordy.

We hope that helps! Children are full members of the community: able to participate, assist, and lead. They belong with the community - wiggles, noises, and all. Jesus made that clear. Let's follow his example and welcome them.
Photo by Rod Long on Unsplash
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LOCATION​​
2903 Cabezon Blvd. SE, Rio Rancho, NM 87124
OFFICE: (505) 896-1999
Office & Chapel Hours: 11 am - 2 pm
​Monday thru Friday
We follow The Episcopal Church’s policies for abuse-prevention, including mandatory training and background checks for those who work with children, youth, and vulnerable adults. A copy of our policies can be found HERE and HERE in our office, or we can send you a copy upon request. Please join us in keeping all of God’s children safe.
We acknowledge the First Peoples of the land we live, work, worship, and walk on – land that has never been ceded or sold. We acknowledge their continued survival and spiritual connection to country and surrounding land, sky, water and sea. And, we pay our respects to their Ancestors and Elders past and present. These include the Pueblo, Apache, and Navajo peoples/nations, including the Sandia, Jemez, Zia, Santo Domingo, and Santa Ana Pueblos.