Sunday school teachers from both St Mary’s and St John’s attended the recent training day entitled ‘Creating Sparks’ organised by the Diocese. The main speaker was Mary Hawes, National Children’s Adviser, who gave an overview of what life is like for children in this country backed by many worrying statistics. She then laid down a challenge to churches, using research from a book on Children’s Spirituality, to consider 6 issues in relation to our work with children. These are:
Space – consider the buildings and rooms available and how they are used and decorated.
Process – it’s not just about ‘show and tell’ to the congregation; it’s about the process of learning.
Imagination – allow the children time to act it out and to get inside the stories.
Relationships – within the groups, with members of the congregation and in outside activities.
Intimacy – time to talk and show we care about them as whole beings.
Trust – trust God to equip us for the work.
I’m sure you’ve noticed that if you take the first letter of each issue you spell out SPIRIT. We need to work to ensure our work with children is SPIRIT and Holy Spirit filled.

The children’s leaders were also challenged to listen to the children and then to act on it! To speak out on their behalf within the Parish. To ensure that the Children’s work is not an added bonus but an integral part of our Parish community. To challenge words which don’t equal action. To aim for top quality resources not second hand or second best. To challenge those who don’t value the children in our churches, we are all made in God’s image and therefore are all valuable. Mary spoke about the power of the ‘tut’ being more powerful than a nuclear weapon in the affect it has on new families and children. She spoke about finding noise in services got on her nerves, but that was her problem, not the child’s. A lot of challenges – but if you’re reading this thinking, ‘I’m not a children’s leader therefore I don’t need to worry about any of this’ then please think again. The whole Church is responsible for addressing these issues.

The leaders then attended workshops and had time to pray and browse in the book shop, oh and enjoy a cuppa. One workshop which many of us attended was about children’s worship. We looked at music and the use of actions and movement. A quick bible study revealed a wealth of examples of people who had danced and praised God. Then some practical work on how to use ribbons and flags, and how to devise actions for some key words – some based on sign language. Many of our children struggle to join in worship because they are not old enough to read. The use of movement, action and ribbons may not be to our taste but it does allow children to join in sung worship and those actions will reinforce the words. Do watch out over the weeks to see if we are managing to put some of this into action in our churches.

I’d like to tell you about some changes that have been made to St Mary’s Sunday School. We are in the blessed position to have lots of children attending on a Sunday morning. So back in February we undertook a change of rooms so that the biggest group, which was Little Stars (3 – 4 years), had the biggest space. Our growing Crèche (under 3 years) moved into the stage area and Sparks (the main Sunday school for ages 4 – 8 years) moves between the main hall and the back room. Flames, the smallest group (for 8 – 11 year olds), meets in the Parish Office. At the same time we introduced activities into Crèche, which now has a designated activity leader who leads the children in songs, bible story, craft and prayers and also takes the parents through a bible study on the same theme. We are just finalising a curriculum which will cover all the groups at St Mary’s (where previously they used up to 3 different resources across the 4 groups!). The next step has been to agree songs and to start to introduce joint worship time in the next month.

If you would like to be involved in our ministry to children and young people do please contact me on 246609 or mandy@walonparish.co.uk. We need people who will work with all age groups from 0 – 18 on many days of the week, both daytime and in the evening, people who might prepare resources and help with administration and of course people who will actively pray for all the children, leaders and groups. May I take this opportunity to offer my thanks for all the time and effort our leaders so generously give to teach and develop the spirituality of the children in our Parish. Many thanks, Mandy