What's on offer for Children

St John's Church welcomes our young people as an integral and important part of our church family. We believe that children grow in their understanding of God by being involved, experiencing worship and through teaching and encouragement suitable for their age-group.  From time to time all ages will work together.

In Matthew's gospel we read that Jesus himself, whilst teaching the disciples, called a little child and had him stand among them and said...."whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me".

Children's Corner

It is important that parents and youngsters are able to feel relaxed in church at each different age and stage. We try to make it possible for you to take part in the service whilst still enabling others to concentrate on the service by providing a carpeted Children's Corner within church for the use of pre-school children. This is equipped with "fairly quiet" toys but the children need supervising by their parents when using this area.

KIDZONE

Most Sunday Mornings, during the 11.15 a.m. service, there are a range of groups meeting specifically for children. These all come under the banner of our Sunday Morning Children’s work, ‘KIDZONE’.

 

Within KIDZONE, there are currently six groups:

 

BUBBLES : A crèche for babies and children up to 3 years of age. There are always two responsible adults to look after the ‘Bubbles’ group, and toys and drinks are provided. Parents and carers are welcome to stay with their children in Bubbles, or to return to the main church for the service. Towards the end of each session, Bubbles will have a short Bible story, and ‘Bubbles and Prayers’, led by one of the adult helpers.   Bubbles meet in the Lounge, next to the Kitchen in the Parish Hall.

 

BIG BUBBLES: A first ‘Sunday School’ group for 3s – 4s who have started attending pre-school. This group will have a short story, and craft activity and perhaps a game or drama, and then some ‘free play’ time using toys etc provided.

 

SPLASH: For children already in school, from Reception to, and including Year 2. This class, along with the next (Xstream) use a variety of teaching materials, including a DVD story, activities, drama, work sheets, colouring model making etc. Their Bible Time, linked with games, crafts, songs etc is currently looking at Old Testament Characters, and will continue onto Miracles and Parables from the New Testament, largely based on the ‘On The Way materials.

 

XSTREAM: For children in Junior school, Years 3 – 5 inclusive. Again, using the above teaching materials, the children will follow a short series of stories or themes and will enjoy related activities including crafts, quizzes, games, songs etc. There is a small team of teachers, so that faces quickly become familiar.

 

BIG BUBBLES, SPLASH & XSTREAM all meet in the main hall.

 

PLUS ONES: For children from Year 6 up to and including Year 8. Plus Ones meet in ‘The Upper Room’, of the Hall and are led each week by Terry Sears or Ruth Howell. Currently they are following the same lesson plans as the three younger groups, but at an older level. Many Plus Ones sessions involve sweets! PLUS ONES also meet on the first Saturday evening of each month for a social time, in the Parish Hall. This, as all of the above, is open to anyone within this age range.

 

DISCOVER: There is now also provision for Years 9-13 on a Sunday morning. ‘Discover’ meet in the Rectory alongside Kidzone, led by Dan Crouch and one other leader each week. They follow their own course of study, often working in smaller groups. On the first Sunday of each month Discover stay in church and take part in the All Age Service.

 

For further details/enquiries regarding Sunday Morning Children’s Activities, please contact: Carolyn Aitken Tel :0117 9862907 or Dan Crouch 07890569534

(All adults working with Children at St. John’s are fully Police Checked.)