Young Children Are Welcome in Meeting for Worship

The Religious Society of Friends of Pittsburgh


4836 Ellsworth Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
Map to Meeting House


Young Children Are Welcome in Meeting for Worship

Young children, with all their fidgets and verbal observations, are welcome in Meeting for Worship. Bob Connamacher, a longtime member of this Meeting who recently passed away, used to occasionally share a story about his own experience as the father of a fidgety young one. After a particularly trying First Day Worship, a weighty Friend pointed out to Bob that the noise of young children in Worship is their Ministry. It is our responsibility to listen with patience. In his later years as an elder, Bob enjoyed passing that wisdom on to young parents, asking them to let us benefit from their children's Ministry.

First Day School Committee member Kathy Rubel once faced the challenge of an active young child who could not sit quietly without entertainment, but who loved to look at the Lego magazine. She developed the strategy of putting new copies of the magazine away as soon as they arrived and bringing them to Meeting. From then on, her son was happily engaged each week during worship.

Debby Hollingshead recalls allowing her active toddler to roam the Meeting room, secure in the knowledge that Friends were understanding of his need to move and ready to pick him up should he take a tumble.

The First Day School Committee would like to encourage parents to remain in worship with their fidgety and active children. While a complete melt down may necessitate leaving the room, simple fidgets are understandable to all and can be managed. To that end, we will be providing a basket of quiet fidget toys that you can offer as a distraction and entertainment. The basket will be available on the first floor and will include a variety of quiet toys plus disinfectant wipes for use as you feel led. The toys are to remain at the Meeting House and selection and return are the choice and responsibility of parents.

First Day School Committee asks the community at large to help us in assuring parents of young children that those children, with all their youthful exuberance, are welcome in Meeting for Worship.

submitted by Debby Hollingshead