The sanctuary at St. Paul Lutheran Church filled with families on Sunday, Oct. 19, but this wasn’t a typical service. From the opening prayer to the closing benediction, students were in charge. And they rose to the occasion with remarkable confidence and joy.

St. Paul’s Kids Takeover Service brought together the school’s three ministries as students from preschool-through-sixth grade planned and executed the entire worship service. They read Scripture, led songs, performed a dramatic presentation of the Good Samaritan, and invited the congregation into a worship experience designed to remind everyone present that children don’t just belong in church — they belong at the front of church, proclaiming God’s Word.

Building Bridges Between Church and School

The Kids Takeover Service represents a broader vision that Principal Ruth Sebastian has been implementing since taking leadership of St. Paul in Fall 2024: intentionally integrating the church, school, and preschool ministries so that faith formation happens seamlessly across all areas of students’ lives.

“One of my goals has been to strengthen the connection between what happens in our classrooms during the week and what happens in our sanctuary on Sunday,” Principal Sebastian explained. “We don’t want our students to see faith as something compartmentalized. It’s not ‘school faith’ versus ‘church faith.’ It’s one faith, one Lord, one baptism, lived out across every part of life.”

The Kids Takeover Service is one piece of this integration. Students also lead an Advent service and participate regularly in weekly chapel services on campus. These opportunities allow children to grow not just as learners of God’s Word but as proclaimers of it.

“When children lead worship, something powerful happens,” Sebastian said. “The congregation sees these young people as active members of the body of Christ, not just the future of the church. And our students begin to understand that their faith matters right now, that God can use them today to share His love and teach His truth. That’s transformative for everyone involved.”

This approach aligns with the Lutheran perspective on children in worship, which emphasizes that children belong in congregational life from the earliest age.

A Morning Led by Young Voices

The service began with second-grader Avery Bogle offering the welcoming prayer, inviting the congregation to open their hearts to God’s Word. From there, students guided the morning through Scripture readings that built toward the day’s central message about compassion.

Phoebe Bernacchi-Turner, Adah Velasquez and Elizah Broadhurst read from Psalm 103:11-13, reminding the congregation of God’s boundless love and compassion. Bodie Klein and Maren Brendel shared the story from Mark 1:40-42 of Jesus healing a leper, reaching out to touch the untouchable and delivering restoration through compassion. Jack Rowe, Keith Powers, Hannah Barnett, and Zion Hunger tackled the longest reading of the morning: the entire parable of the Good Samaritan from Luke 10:25-37.

Between readings, students filled the sanctuary with music. The preschoolers, some barely tall enough to see over the front pew, sang “Jesus Loves Me” with sweetness and sincerity. Kindergarten and first-graders led a praise song about the Good Samaritan. The combined first-sixth grade choir, directed by Mr. Stallings (who had just returned from five days at Hume Lake with our sixth-graders), performed “Peace in Christ.” Later, Mr. Stallings closed the worship with “This Is Amazing Grace.”

The highlight of the morning came when the fourth- and fifth-grade class — the same students currently learning about stewardship and creation care through their school garden project — presented a dramatic interpretation of the Good Samaritan. Students acted out the familiar parable with clarity and emotion, bringing the story to life in a way that captivated both children and adults.

Compassion as Action

Guest Pastor Matt Duerr, father of kindergarten teacher Mrs. Bogle, delivered the sermon. “It’s so good to be back in a church with a school,” he said.

His message focused on the Good Samaritan story, teaching the congregation that compassion is not just an emotion we feel but an action we take. This distinction between feeling and doing provided a powerful framework for understanding Jesus’ call to love our neighbors.

The service concluded with sixth-grader Jase Parker offering the closing prayer, asking God to help everyone present share Christ’s love with those they meet during the week ahead.

Parents and congregants left the service moved by what they had witnessed.

“The children did a wonderful job,” said parent Liz Brittain. “It’s inspiring to see their faith in God as well as how our community comes together to support our kids and their growth in the Lord.”

Principal Sebastian stood at the back of the sanctuary after the service, greeting families as they left. She reflected on what the morning had meant.

“This is what we’re called to be,” she said. “A place where children are seen, heard, and valued as full members of the body of Christ. A place where church and school work together to form young people in faith. A place where families can see their children growing not just academically but spiritually.”

She paused, watching students laugh with their families in the church entryway, still buzzing with excitement from the morning.

“This is why we do what we do,” she said. “This is the church at its best. Generations worshiping together, learning together, growing together in Christ.”

Looking Ahead

The Kids Takeover Service was planned and coordinated by Mrs. Barnett’s class, with support from the entire faculty. Students will lead worship again during the Advent season on Dec. 10 at 6 p.m., and weekly chapel services continue to provide opportunities for students to practice reading Scripture, leading prayers, and participating in worship.

For families considering St. Paul, events like the Kids Takeover Service offer a glimpse into a school culture where faith isn’t an add-on. It’s woven into every aspect of student life. From daily devotions to weekly chapels and even leading Sunday worship, students at St. Paul learn that their faith matters, their voices matter, and God can use them right now to make a difference in the world.

To learn more about St. Paul Lutheran School and Preschool, visit our campus or contact the school office at (209) 383-3302.

St. Paul Lutheran School and Preschool has been serving Merced County families since 1991. The school is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) and National Lutheran School Accreditation (NLSA), and affiliated with the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.