Time-Stumbling Block or Stepping Stone

The issue of time and how we use it has been on my mind since the implementation of Kidmo. In the year (give or take a month or 2) that we have extended the 9:30 hour for grade schoolers, I have only heard one concern voiced about the extended hour. Could the extra 10-15 minutes every Sunday be a bit of a stumbling block for parents? What do we gain in that 10 minutes, and is it worth the frustration that it might be causing a number of parents, maybe more than have spoken to me? This is a great time to encourage you all to encourage and empower parents to come to me and share their views. Whether they do will be up to them, but if you all are constantly passing things on to me, I can continue to be aware, in touch. That's a part of why I started this forum of conversation.

What if we cut those last few minutes? What do we loose and what do we gain, and how do those messure up? Which out weighs the other? Does that "free up" parents to participate in other ways like communion?

I firmly believe what we are doing in Kidmo, the ways that we are reaching and empowering kids with the messages, and mentoring, God is using to transform our kids. I believe that the ways that we are connecting with them during that time is having a huge impact on them and often you and me, and what they/we are learning about being a follower of Jesus Christ. That is something that I have heard from parents regularly about.

So....we shave off some time and end at 10:33 and turn a stumbling block into a stepping stone.
What does that stepping stone look like? What shape does it take?

Thanks for taking the time to share what you think! I can't wait to see what you all have to say next.

Dana

The following are excerpts from comments to Linda's posting. I put them here because I wanted to make sure that everyone saw them.

I would like to comment on the length of time we spend with the program. I feel as if we need to wrap it up to about 1035-1040, so that parents aren't waiting too long. Kids are distracted seeing their parents waiting and I feel most parents are ready to go at that point after their service and message. If we are going to sing let's try to keep it to one song and a quick prayer and dismiss. Sorry my opinion for what it's worth, several parents have commented on this in the past.
Michelle


I couldn't agree more with what Michelle has said about the length of the 930 am service. I, also have had numerous parents (and friends) make comment about the length of time for the service. Parents have even told us that they want to keep the their children in the main sanctuary so they can leave when they want. I know the third graders are jumping around, looking at their parents and they aren't listening to a 2-3 minutes closing prayer!
Michael