It’s an understatement to say that church has been disrupted in the last several years. But despite those difficulties, St. Christopher’s, Oak Park and St. Lawrence, Libertyville have discovered that putting children and families at the center of worship and outreach has created new energy and possibilities.

Wiggle worship, an 11 a.m. service for younger children and their families, had been part of the liturgical life of St. Christopher’s for years when the Rev. Kevin Goodman arrived as interim rector in October, 2021. But Goodman, who worked as a television producer before attending seminary, has led a reinvention of the service, replacing some pews with chairs and encouraging children and youth of all ages to participate. Young people who are learning instruments at school have formed a band to play for the service, with older youth serving as mentors to younger ones, and Goodman, a tai chi teacher, incorporates body movements into the Eucharistic prayer to help keep young children focused.

When wiggle worship moved outside in the early days of the pandemic, families in the neighborhood became interested, and attendance has grown significantly as a result of the outdoor visibility.

Last summer, St. Lawrence, Libertyville took similar advantage of its outdoor space. The church is located on the town square, close to the site of the community’s weekly farmers market and other events. The parish had experimented with selling donuts and coffee at the market, but hadn’t found the project to be particularly effective.

The Rev. Kristin Saylor, rector, credits Susie Brock, the parish administrator, with coming up with a new idea. After a small fundraiser to purchase a water table, hula-hoops, and other toys, the congregation set up a sidewalk play space for toddlers and an opportunity for young parents to get to know each other during the market.

“As a parent of a young child during the pandemic, I was particularly interested to offer a ministry of presence to other parents,” Saylor said.

Approximately 100 parents and their children visited the play space each week during the three-hour market. and even the mayor stopped by. Volunteers from the parish signed up using an app, rotating weekly responsibility for the ministry, and kept the church doors open for diaper changing and potty training stops.

About a month after the play space ministry began, a shooter killed seven people and wounded 48 more at a Fourth of July parade in nearby Highland Park. The market held several days later was subdued, Saylor said. “We wanted to offer something for those who didn’t know what to do to bear witness.”

Parish volunteers quickly installed a length of construction fencing, while Saylor bought “all the orange fabric I could find,” and tore it into strips that market-goers could weave into the fence to create a memorial for the shooting victims.  St. Lawrence also offered resource cards on how to help children cope. “This is ministry,” Saylor said.

Both Goodman and Saylor emphasize that congregations seeking new ways to reach families with young children start small, create a plan, and stay flexible.

“Outreach to families with children is valid and vital but it takes intentionality, particularly around the traditional strengths of the Episcopal Church: music and liturgy,” Goodman said. “We can sit on our hands and wonder where the people are, but what are your expectations of families with children?” he said. “St Christopher’s is vibrant in part because families with children are present.”

In Libertyville, the success of the Farmers Market play area has inspired the congregation to rethink its Sunday School curriculum and consider holding a Parents Night Out.  “Growth is organic, manageable, and sustainable,” Saylor said.