Minister Notes for Children’s Liturgy of the Word

Elementary aged children (ages K-5th grade) will gather during Mass for a Children’s Liturgy of the Word (CLOW) in the Social Hall.

The prayer leader will check in with the priest and deacon to let them know that they will be leading the CLOW that week.
The prayer leader will place the Children’s Lectionary on the deacon’s chair.

After the Opening Prayer and before the first lector goes to the ambo, the deacon (or priest-celebrant if there is no deacon) will call the children forward to gather at the base of the altar platform steps. Before he calls the children forward, he reminds the children to remember where they are sitting. (This will be included in the binder text with the blessing.)
The deacon or priest will offer a blessing (that changes each week in light of the readings; included in the presiders’ binders and provided by Teri Miller).
After the blessing the deacon or priest will present the Children’s Lectionary to the prayer leader.
One of the children will take the CLOW banner and lead the group in procession to the back of the church; the prayer leader will hold the Children’s Lectionary up in procession.
They will go to the Social Hall via the stairwell in the narthex (gathering area).
Ushers open the doors for them.
The first lector does not begin the reading until the children are out of the church.

Once the Creed begins, the prayer leader and catechists should make their way back to the church. A CLOW facilitator will coordinate with an usher standing near the stairwell that leads directly to the social hall (in the alcove on the tabernacle side of the church) to let the group know when the “Creed” has begun.
Children return via the stairwell from the narthex (gathering area), coming up the side aisles after “Creed” is over and during the offertory. They do not return by center aisle because the ushers will be taking up the collection. CLOW facilitators help the children find their way back to their seats.

St. Brendan the Navigator