Children Worship Wonder & Welcome Book List

By Jerome W. Berryman and Sonja M. Stewart

This is the foundational training book of Children Worship Wonder & Welcome. Sonja Stewart and Jerome Berryman have taken the needs of children into account and devised an exciting method for introducing three- to seven-year-olds to the wonder of worship. Their approach, which integrates religious education and worship, has been presented at numerous workshops and training sessions. Based on the authors’ experiences, the methods described here will be invaluable to teachers helping children understand and appreciate worship.

Young Children and Worship is available from most online retailers of your choosing, including Bookshop.org or others. Both paperback and digital versions are available.

By Sonja M. Stewart

This sequel to Young Children and Worship provides another educational resource for children. These are additional scriptural stories for use in your Worship Center. Sonja Stewart’s method and approach are the same as in her earlier book. She provides careful and clear instructions for teachers on creating and using the children’s worship center, a unique worship environment in which children are introduced to the meaning of worship through biblical stories and parables.

Following Jesus is available from most online retailers of your choosing, including Bookshop.org or others. Both paperback and digital versions are available.

By Rev. Dick Gibson

Biblical Lessons is a collection of stories in the style of Children Worship Wonder & Welcome and Godly Play written by the Rev. Dick Gibson.

Stories Include:

The Lord’s Prayer
Advent Prophecies
The Apostles’ Creed
The Circle of the Holy Eucharist
Discovering the Church in the Bible
Jerusalem, the Holy City
Jerusalem, City of the Cross
Jerusalem, City of the Resurrection
A Lesson on Crosses
A Lesson on Symbols

The Psalms: Prayers of the People
The Scroll of the Twelve Prophets
The Story of Esther
The Story of the Holy Bible
Sunday Morning
Holy Matrimony
A Service of Death and Resurrection
The Beatitudes
Parable: The Vine

Biblical Lessons is available one of our partners, Worship Woodworks, as a spiral-bound book. You can purchase the book itself, as well as all the materials for each story, as you need.

By Jerome W. Berryman

An internationally recognized Christian formation program.

This revised and expanded version has been redesigned to complement the eight volumes in The Complete Guide to Godly Play series. Illustrations have also been updated, and the text now better reflects the playful spirit of Godly Play. Up-to-date research in childhood development and instruction has also been incorporated in this comprehensive volume.

Teaching Godly Play is available from most online retailers of your choosing, including Bookshop.org or others. Both paperback and digital versions are available.

By Jerome W. Berryman

The Complete Guide to Godly Play series is a collection of books contain all of the material you will need to become familiar with the Godly Play approach. Jerome W. Berryman first wrote Young Children & Worship with Sonja M. Stewart and then continued on with these teachings, while Sonja continued with Young Children & Worship, and Following Jesus: More about Young Children & Worship.

Volume 1– How to Lead Godly Play Lessons

Volume 2 – Presentations for Spring

Volume 3 – Presentations for Fall

Volume 4 – Presentations for Winter

Volume 5 – Practical Helps from Godly Play Trainers

Volume 6 – Fall Enrichment Lessons

Volume 7 – Stories of the Saints

Volume 8 – Fifteen Additional Enrichment Presentations

The Complete Guide to Godly Play is available from most online retailers of your choosing, including Bookshop.org or others. Both paperback and digital versions are available.

By Sofia Cavalletti, Gianna Gobbi, Silvana Quattrocchi Montanaro, and Patricia Coulter

This is a foundational book outlining the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd program, an early precursor to Children Worship Wonder & Welcome, both foundational for children’s religious formation. In the introduction to the first edition of this book, Sofia Cavalletti acknowledges that in addition to offering rich insights on who the child is spiritual—including the child before 3 years of age–, in Part II the book seeks to answer the question: “But how do I do it (the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd) with children?”  This second edition is a fuller answer to the above question, and it reflects the growth and transformation of the catechesis and, thus, seeks to “correct” some previous practices (such as the matter of no longer narrating a Scripture text before doing the solemn reading of the text directly from the Bible). Joyful Journey was first conceived in response to a specific request from Bishop Marcel Gervais who had been very moved by The Religious Potential of the Child but wanted another rendering of the catechesis which would be even more accessible to parents and educators of young children. Joyful Journey is meant to be a compliment to and not a substitution for the in-depth exploration of the child’s relationship with God and how we can best foster that relationship which is offered in catechist formation courses.  Every catechist, every parent, will want this book on his or her shelf, to read and re-read again and again.

The Good Shepherd and the Child: A Joyful Journey is available from many online retailers of your choosing, including or The US Association of The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd.

By Elaine Costello

Since the fourth century, when Spanish monks first started signing to communicate during their vows of silence, sign language has been used in religious communities of all faiths. Present-day American Sign Language (ASL) carries on that tradition. Like any living language, it continues to grow and change to meet the communication needs of an ever more diverse religious population. This comprehensive guide, newly revised, updated, and expanded, gives you all the vocabulary you need to communicate effectively in any religious setting.

Religious Signing: A Comprehensive Guide for All Fiaths is available from most online retailers of your choosing, including Bookshop.org or others. Both paperback and digital versions are available.

By Deborah Tyree

A unique collection of 20 familiar refrains, hymns, and songs, plus sign language illustrations and instructions for the chorus, song refrain, or in a few cases for the entire song. Each song features suggestions of ways to teach the song and incorporate the songs in worship, rehearsal, or the classroom. Designed so the leader can look at the music and corresponding sign language at the same time. This collection features a compilation of twenty familiar refrains and songs as well as several new songs used in Sunday school. Unique to this collection is the provision of sign language illustrations and instructions for the chorus, song refrain, or, in a few cases, for the entire song. Additionally, each song has a leader “how to” section with suggested ways to teach the song as well as a list of ways to use the song in worship, rehearsal, or classroom. The layout is designed so that leaders can look at the music and the corresponding sign language illustrations at the same time. This resource will enable participation through the use of music and sign together by choirs, congregations, and classroom students.

With Heart and Hands and Voices is available from most online retailers of your choosing, including Half Price Books, or others.

By Faith Alive Resources

This collection of nearly 250 songs for children covers major biblical stories and themes using a wide variety of musical styles. A treasure for church school, children’s choirs, congregational worship, Christian day schools, families, and young piano students!

The Leader’s Edition contains full accompaniments, background information on songs, actions, and signing.

With Heart and Hands and Voices is available from Faith Alive Resources, or online book resellers.

By Faith Alive Resources

Based on American Sign Language, this 11-minute DVD helps you learn signing for use in song and worship so that you can be comfortable teaching it to others. See how signing can help people worship with their body as well as with song and spoken word. Includes signs for the following songs: Be Still and Know Father, I Adore You, This Is the Day, God Is So Good, and Go Now in Peace.

With Heart and Hands and Voices is available from Faith Alive Resources, or online book resellers.