Liturgical Language

Recently I've noticed a new kind of participation in the church service by one of my kids. They've started to verbally join in parts of the service where the congregation speaks or sings. Sometimes they know the words, often they don't, but mumble along anyway. I wonder what they think, what they feel, what factors consciously or unconsciously motivate this.

I've also found in Sunday School the kids are often very responsive to chances to lead or respond to brief liturgical exchanges such as:

God be with you. - And also with you.
(God is with you or The Lord be with you meet the same enthusiasm and ease.)
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.- It is right to give our thanks and praise.
Hear what the Spirit is saying to God's people. - Thanks be to God.

Reading the transcript of "Speaking of Faith: The Spirituality of Parenting," (see previous post) reminded me of this. Rabbi Sandy Sasso spoke about kids needing a language to express their spirituality. I don't think she meant just learning the language of liturgical responses. But I do think this can be a valuable part of it.

A bit later Rabbi Sasso says these things that are akin to my perspectives:

"I think much of religious education tends to be the transmission of a set of rules or dogmas or information. But the very best religious education is much broader than that and gives children a sense of a greater presence. I mean, why follow the rules, you know? Why do the rituals? Why pray? I mean what's behind all that?"

For some liturgy can be cold, dry, boring recitation while for others that same liturgy can be rich, evocative and filled with positive meaning. Realistically our experience of it within a given Sunday, from week to week or between given periods of our lives varies. It can include both those descriptions and points in between.

So the question is, what factors will help kids be able to experience meaning through these phrases? How do I teach these phrases in a way that will facilitate that? What general approaches should I take or not take? (I know, books have been written on that topic.) What insight or questions do you have on this from your own interaction with kids or your own experience with liturgy? What allows liturgy to be meaningful rather than empty?