Prepare and Present the Perfect Primary Sacrament Meeting Presentation

What follows assumes that you know what the Primary program is and how it operates.

Once a year the Primary children present what they have learned in a special Sacrament Meeting known as the Children's Sacrament Meeting Presentation. Members often look forward to this event. There is always something sweet in hearing children speak basic gospel truths and sing their songs with the simple faith characteristic of the young and innocent.

If you serve in the Primary, then you will help the children and other leaders prepare and present this annual event. What follows below should help.

Guidelines for the Children's Sacrament Meeting Presentation

Obviously, the Handbook is the first place you should go for guidance. All Primary information is contained in Chapter 11. The brief guidance that exists for the Sacrament presentation can be found in 11.5.4.

The presentation should take place sometime in the fourth quarter of the year. It should showcase what the children have learned in Primary; so it makes sense to have it towards the end of the year.

After the Sacrament has been administered, the presentation can take up the remaining time in Sacrament meeting, but it does not have to. If you only have a small number of children in Primary, a shorter program may be just fine.

Try not to think of this event as a performance or a celebration. It should be an opportunity for the children to share and demonstrate what they have learned.

What You Should Do in the Presentation

The Presentation takes place under the general direction of the bishopric. One of the bishop's counselors should be assigned to oversee the Primary and work closely with Primary leaders. He should certainly be involved in planning and executing the presentation.

Preliminary meetings should be held with him to plan the presentation. Once finished, he must approve the final plan. He should always be involved in guiding the Primary program and especially the annual presentation.

Each year the Church issues a yearly Outline for Sharing Time. This Outline should be the foundation for the yearly Sacrament presentation as well. The Sharing Time themes should provide the content.

Singing should be a major part of the presentation. The Church provides all the songs and resources that should be used. Every child can participate in singing these songs and every Primary child ages 3-11 should.

Approved aspects of the presentation include children doing the following:

• Readings
• Reciting scripture passages
• Talks
• Singing in small groups
• Sharing testimonies
• Brief messages from Primary leaders and the counselor assigned oversight of the Primary.

What You Should Not Do in the Presentation

Images and visual aids are not approved for the presentation. This may take some getting used to. There are numerous images and visual aids provided in the Outline for Sharing Time. Although they can be used during regular Primary time and to teach the children throughout the year, they should not be used for the annual presentation.

In addition, costumes or any type of media presentation should not be used either. They are not consistent with the reverence or solemnity that should prevail in Sacrament meeting.

Music is a Key Focus of the Presentation

Primary music leaders and accompanists should plan for, teach and direct all the music for Sharing Time throughout the year, and during the presentation.

Besides following all the general music guidelines that exist, they must follow the additional guidelines for the Primary. Handbook guidance is found in Chapter 14. Specific guidance and resources for Primary music leaders is online.

Some musical instruments, songs and teaching resources that are appropriate for teaching children are not appropriate in Sacrament meeting.

Tips to Make the Presentation Go Smoothly

• Time the songs, talks and everything else. Know how long it takes for children to get into position and so forth.
• Ask teachers to remain seated during the songs so that children can see and be seen.
• Involve parents and make certain they have enough time to help their children with their parts of the presentation.
• Make certain all  leaders, music people and teachers have a copy of the program.
• Have someone manage the podium, raising and lowering it and assisting the children with their speaking parts, especially if they take fright at the last moment.
• Rehearse the presentation in the chapel, so the children feel comfortable. However, this should not take up what should be classroom time.
• Use the disability resources the Church provides in order to accommodate all children to participate in the presentation.

When it is all over, praise the children for how well they did. Meet with others to determine what could be improved in the future.