What’s new in ‘KIDS FORUM’
There have been a number of changes and developments with our children’s groups over the last few months.
Mini Michaels. Mini Michaels is a monthly service at 11.30am first Sunday of the month for young families, aimed at children 0-5 yrs. MM is an amalgamation of the former ‘Little Angels’,’ Messy Church’ and the Baptism Welcome, with action songs, a bible story told through the church cat Moses and Messy activities as well as welcoming babies and children for baptism. The service is attended by our younger families and also by the baptism families. Attendance can reach up to 60 people if we have a full complement of baptisms for the month. The service has been very popular with the baptism families and we have had wonderful feedback.
Young Church. Until recently Young Church consisted of mostly older primary aged children who have moved on to become ‘Sparxz’, our church youth group. As Sparxz members are now in secondary education they have outgrown Young Church which in turn is now catering for toddlers and infant age children, with Sparxz members as helpers. Young Church is currently using Bible story and the themes and crafts we use in Messy Michael.
Messy Michael ran successfully for 2 years at Bernard Gilpin School, but we were left feeling very aware that we seemed to be favouring one Houghton primary school at the expense of the others (the fact that the Associate Minister had run out of messy ideas has nothing to do with it!). It was with much sadness that we bade farewell to Bernard Gilpin School and transferred our Messy Michael team to Burnside Primary school where we have run one session so far. While we miss our young friends at Bernard Gilpin, we have 25 new ones at Burnside spanning school years 1-6. The facilities and the help provided by two teaching assistants are excellent. Everyone…. children, teaching assistants and our team, greatly enjoyed themselves in a very relaxed but busy atmosphere. The school has promised to display the children’s work in their main building. I now have a two year programme in place which will eventually be offered to Gillas Lane school.
Development of spirituality for children and young people at St Michael & All Angels continues to be dynamic, meeting the needs of changing age groups and reaching out into the community.
Rev Margaret Lee