In the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, Jesus is quoted as encouraging children to come to him so he can bless them and offer them the kingdom of God.  Today the Church is trying to follow in Jesus’ footsteps.  And so we teach them about Jesus at home, in the church, and pastors or laypeople have been trying to do children messages for many years so the kids would come to know and love God.  That’s why I do puppetry.

Most young children relate to the world through experience and fantasy.  Their minds haven’t developed to where they make intellectual connections very well, and so object lessons though simple for an adult or older youth to understand, usually goes over the heads of preschool or young elementary students.  Puppets invite children into the world of fantasy, imagination, and stories where they may not yet understand all that’s being said or done, but they experience it a deeper level than the mind can comprehend.  So puppets engage children in the context of God’s house and worship.  Before they can even form the words or understand the concept of God, puppets telling children bible stories, acting out bible values, and telling them about Jesus, help children come into Jesus’ arms and love and do so with delight.  What greater gift can we give to children, or even to God, than that?  That’s why I do puppetry.

Many adults like the puppet shows too.  It taps into a childhood we’ve left behind, but not totally.  The simple stories or plays give us permission to learn like children, or remember what we tend to forget, and sometimes it causes us to smile or laugh in the process.  And in the worship of our Savior, to smile and laugh is something really pleasing to both God and us grownups who are all too serious too many times.  That’s why I do puppetry.

Here are some pictures of what we do at Christ Lutheran with the children and puppets.  Maybe you’ll see a child you know and can see how they’re engaged in the learning about God.  And maybe you can imagine our Savior sitting in their midst, with His arm around them, blessing them and giving them God’s kingdom.  He’s why I do puppetry. 

God’s peace to all.
Pastor Glen