The Inclusive Atrium

by: Anita Vincent

A couple of weeks ago I was reading before bed when my phone buzzed.  One plaintive word flashed: “Help!” I recognized the sender as one of my formation course participants.

“Are you ok?”

“No.  My atrium needs help.”

We agreed to a Zoom meeting in the morning.

As she began to unravel the conundrum of her atrium – lots of 3 year olds, little out door time in the winter, lots of energy, she emphatically exclaimed that she’d gone through all the presentations we had done in the Part A of the formation course, and she needed more. 

I recognized a common challenge catechists encounter. She was thrusting children forward into lessons for which they were not yet prepared in an effort to keep them focused. She did recognize that CGS asks us to meet the child’s needs where they are. BUT… “I need to give a new presentation every week,” she exclaimed. Her voice held the edge of panic.  

Ohh here we were. The crux of the matter. She was relying on her own abilities to push the children in hopes that they: 1. would be prepared  and 2. wouldn’t become bored and veer into chaos. She had put the work on herself and narrowed her field of vision forgetting the child’s developmental needs and sensitive periods were her allies.

We agreed that these children were three years old! Three!  

Gently, I stepped in. Perhaps it was time for the lessons she had been giving them to settle into their spirits and grow. As Lent is coming, perhaps it was time for working with our hands so our spirits can be nurtured to grow the previous seeds planted. Perhaps, I encouraged, they could work with more practical life and prepare for the Liturgy of the Light.

I could feel the skepticism. 

I recommended she set more shelf space aside for spooning, wet pouring (and sponging), scissor exercises, and the marvelous concentration constructor – push pinning. 

“But that’s not all!” I exclaimed. I was scrolling through memories of children preparing during the dark, cold weeks of Lent for the Liturgy of the Light. I smiled at the memories of children’s jubilant singing, the practicing of careful heel-to-toe line walking, and the lesson in candle holding. 

Deep in our souls we long for the Light.  The children’s orientation to joy pulled us through Lent and the irregularity of the atrium schedule in the Lenten season.  (And that schedule’s irregularity gives you time to coordinate with your pastor, music director, and parents to scaffold the children’s celebration so the Paschal Light’s return focuses them on the One who is the Light of the World.) 

The Liturgy of the Light is truly a breathtaking celebration and the children absolutely love it. One year, the children wanted to do it again and again, and we spent the entire 90 minutes processing, singing, and lighting candles! When you prepare for it thoughtfully, it becomes accident-free and life-giving to all who participate.

I was just getting into my stride about the beauty of the child’s deep affinity for liturgy, and in particular, their love for the Liturgy of the Light when I stopped myself. She needed practical support. 

I suggested that she could:

1. Order the candles and candle holders (and ones for Pentecost – and these, too.)
2. Set up some practical life materials like pin pushing, practice navigating the atrium by laying out several rugs close together and ever so carefully walking around them (and then someone must roll them up perfectly and put them away so carefully.) Use this link to refresh practical life skills. 
3. Prepare the Walking Line  and a small table displaying a tray with objects from the atrium for a child to carry while carefully walking the line. (Shout out to Marty O’Bryan for her amazing table!)
4. Create a lesson where you demonstrate holding an unlit candle correctly. 
5. Sing! Sing songs like This Day was Made by the Lord, the chorus of Christ Be Our Light, and Shine, Jesus, Shine. These are all songs that the music director at my church used with the children’s choir, so I knew that these songs were appropriate for children’s voices. Remember, the younger children in the 3-6 atrium are typically not reading yet, so they have to memorize these songs. Pick simple tunes and meaningful words. And probably just use the chorus for many.
6. Share the Inclusive Atrium Liturgy of the Light family play list so the whole family is involved.
7. For those able, practice the readings.

And there we left it. I’m sure we’ll chat again, but I’m excited to see how her atrium deepens over this Lenten season.

Gentle Reader:

How do you prepare for the Liturgy of the Light?  

What’s your favorite memory?  

What songs do your kids love?