NB Anglican visits daycare chapel

It’s 9:30 a.m. The Rev. Dan McMullen is in the sanctuary of Trinity Church in Sussex, waiting. Parker Brewer, worship pastor at Encounter Wesleyan Church, is there with his guitar. 

And very soon, you cannot mistake the coming tsunami of dozens of kids from ages one to five as they make their way from their daycare in the church basement to the sanctuary.

The daycare, run by Sussex Christian School, opened in Trinity’s basement in Sussex last November after an extensive million-dollar retrofit paid for largely by the provincial government in an effort to increase daycare spaces in New Brunswick.

Forty kids call this place — SCS Little Lights Early Learning Centre - Trinity — home five days a week. And each Wednesday morning, Dan provides chapel — a bible lesson, a game, a video and songs led by Parker. 

“It’s great,” says Dan. “It’s been wonderful. It’s the highlight of the week for me.”

Even church volunteers who happen to be in the building often stop in to watch. Dan calls the experience life-giving for some. 

The lesson today is a continuation of several recent ones – Jesus’s stories about finding something that has been lost — a coin, even a son.

“I had a basket full of Easter eggs a few minutes ago, but they’re not here anymore,” says Dan to the children. “I’ve lost them. Could you help me find them?”

That sets off a massive effort to recover the chocolate eggs — in the choir stalls, the altar, the pews, the pulpit. 

All go into the basket, which will make its way downstairs to the kids.

Dan, a father of five young girls, knows just how to keep things interesting. And despite these children attending a non-denominational daycare, he’s schooling them in Anglican protocol.

“The Lord be with you,” he says, and the answer is a resounding chorus of little voices responding, “And also with you.”

After an object lesson, the egg hunt, a short video, a couple of songs and some prayer, Dan leads the kids in The Grace. And with that, they follow their leaders out of the sanctuary and back down to their basement space.

While Dan did not expect to grow the church by opening the basement to a daycare, that is exactly what is happening.

Two families of daycare children have started attending Trinity. 

“I’m marrying one couple, and baptizing their daughter this Sunday,” he said.

Soon, as the resources and infrastructure allow, Dan will bring the chapel service to the basement. But until then, every Wednesday, they’ll meet in the sanctuary.

“Our weekly chapels are such a great way for the children to connect with others in our community while learning about Jesus’ love,” said Naomi MacKay, director of early childhood education at Sussex Christian School. “Little Lights so appreciates the opportunity of partnering with Trinity.”

“Soon after we opened the doors here at Trinity Little Lights, we were thrilled at the opportunity to partner up with Rev. Dan to offer the children chapel,” said Janet Bond, Trinity ELC co-ordinator. 

“Since we are a faith-based early learning centre, this was an open door we were thrilled to walk through.  

“Each Wednesday we gather as a group and meet upstairs in the sanctuary for approximately half an hour where we sing action songs together and hear a little lesson about Jesus and all the wonderful ways he loves us.  

“The children absolutely love chapel and look forward to it each week!”

Photo captions:
1. The Rev. Dan McMullen explains to the children that he needs help finding his lost Easter eggs.
2. Parker Brewer, of Encounter Wesleyan Church, leads worship.
3. While kids search for eggs, the younger ones are more enthralled by the video playing.
McKnight photos