Time to go

Our pastor had three little boys, each about 2 years apart. During the prayers the youngest, just learning to talk and perhaps thinking his father had prayed long enough, suddenly piped up, "Amen, Daddy, Amen." After a giggle rose from the congregation, the prayers were quickly ended.

Dorothy Anderson

Genesee, Idaho

During a midweek service at St. John Lutheran Church, Morgan, Wis., my 2-year-old son was antsy and kept asking if it was time to go. When the pastor walked down the aisle and past our pew at the end of the service, my son said: "Woo hoo! Me go home now!" We received lots of smiles from other parents that day.

KristinDorn

Abrams, Wis.

Our last hymn as children leave chapel at St. Mark Lutheran Church, Jacksonville, FIa., is Go Now in Peace. One little boy called out to the pastor, "It's time to sing 'Go now to pieces.' "

Theresa L. Graeser

Jacksonville, FIa.

Although worshipers at St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church, Lutherville, Md., were amused by this new instruction in the sending, our pastor had the presence of mind to read it as intended rather than as written: "Go forth with God's blessing: Speak the truth, show the faith, share the lover ... now and forever."

JimAnderson

Timonium, Md.

One Sunday our granddaughter insisted on taking her doll along to worship and played quietly during the sermon. When the ushers took the offering, she patted her doll and whispered, "It's OK, honey. It's almost over."

RogerBuhr . .

Decorah, Iowa

Acolyte promotion

My 6-year-old granddaughter, Taylor, stood with me as my husband, Fred, and I handed out bulletins. She pointed to the two girls serving as acolytes and said, "Look, Nana, there are two of them." I said, "Yes, I see that." She replied, "Maybe one of them is the real God."

Karen Claire

Tacoma, Wash.

Nope, not the pastor

Our 6-year-old granddaughter was visiting from Dallas, and I asked her what she liked best about our church. "I like the man up in front," she said. "Oh, you liked our pastor?" "Well, the man with his hands out," she replied. Apparently she meant our Christ statue.

Kathie Svoboda

Lincoln, Neb.

Nothing is impossible

My congregation's "Pastor's Scholars" program encourages young people to memorize the Lord's Prayer, Apostles' Creed, Ten Commandments and books of the Bible. Achild passing the bulletin board listing the scholars was overheard saying, "Mommy, I want to learn the Lord's Prayer and the Impossible Creed."

James Laurence

West Columbia, S.C.

Your original contributions to "Light Side" are welcome. Unused submissions cannot be returned or acknowledged. Send to: jsevig@elca.org or "Light Side," The Lutheran, 8765 W. Higgins Rd., Chicago, IL 60631-4183.