Wild Wonder Summer

During the summer at Incarnation Anglican in Arlington, VA, families are encouraged to be intentional with including their children in worship on Sundays and throughout the week. Wild Wonder Summer is an event on Sunday mornings that allows Incarnation a simpler rhythm during the season of Ordinary Time. However, as Josie Ortega, Incarnations’ Lead Children’s Catechist, reminds us, there are many ways we can wonder with our children at God’s good gifts that surround us no matter where we are and not just on Sunday mornings.

“Wild Wonder is back! Families are welcome at 9:30 for a simple activity, a scripture reading, and a short song and prayer together before heading into worship.

“A little background: Wild Wonder is one of the happy outcomes of pandemic flexibility, born out of a desire to connect with each other and enjoy God’s creation on Sunday; and it's had various iterations since 2020. Our plan for Summer 2022 is to use the outdoor space at Randolph for a relaxed time of enjoying creation together on Sunday mornings.

“After enjoying our time together during Wild Wonder, we’ll be ready to head into church and enjoy God’s greatest gift to us—the gift of God’s own self in the person of Jesus.”

Families are encouraged to worship as a family and to share the wonder they experience throughout the summer and with their church family:

Send postcards to the church family to share the wonders you discover during your travels or escapades at the local pool.

Vacation church. As we enjoy God’s creation in many summer-y ways, off visiting family or friends, or spending time in beautiful places, I invite you and your kids to hold simple family prayer times when you can’t make it to church. Customize this liturgy or Family Prayer from the BCP: morning, midday, and evening options start on page 66. (And/or zoom church, of course!)

Josie has other wonderful suggestions on helping to engage children in worship services each Sunday (if your church doesn’t offer a program during the summer).

Read the entire article here. Enjoy photos from last Sunday’s WONDERful event below!