Children's Work
News & Events
Mission-Shaped Church
This is the name of a book, published by Church House Publishing, with a foreword by Archbishop Rowan Williams. The book looks at how churches can respond to the changing cultural context through seeking to create 'fresh expressions of church'. One of the criticisms of the book has been its focus on ministry with adults and although there are moves afoot to address this at a national level we thought it might be helpful to look at the whole issue at a more local level too.
- Have you moved your 'Sunday School' away from Sunday morning?
- Do you offer a mid week church or school based group?
- Do you offer a toddler praise service during the week?
- Have you tried any other way of reaching out to children, other than through your regular Sunday morning Eucharist?
If you have then we would like to hear from you. We are hoping to compile a booklet of examples of 'Mission Shaped Church', specifically relating to children within the diocese. This information will then be available to others in the diocese who are seeking ideas, help or support. Clearly anything produced should not be limited to roaring successes and we will be just as interested in projects which have been tried and not continued - they can offer equally valuable insights for others.
Please get in touch if you have something to share and we will send you a short proforma to complete with details of your Mission Shaped Church.
Young Church Magazine
For just £16 per year your church could receive a year's worth of pew sheets, aimed specifically at the under 10s. The sheets are linked to the lectionary and include puzzles and games, as well as colouring for younger children. They would provide an excellent focus for an informal children's group during the service, constructive occupation for the choir during the sermon, or a means for parents to actively involve their children during the service. We think they provide an excellent solution to the difficulty faced by many churches who may only have 2 or 3 children and lack the facilities for full-scale children's work.
Parishes in the diocese are now subscribing to this magazine. If you would also like to take up this opportunity, and be added to the list, please contact the Department for Children, Youth and Education 01905 732825.
