At St Philip and St James, Leckhampton, we’ve been experimenting with ways to be more diverse in the activities we offer during Sunday morning children’s ministry. This is in response to our awareness that crafty stuff doesn’t suit all children.
Following the trend for worshipping God outdoors, we’ve run two sessions of ‘Welly JAM (Jesus and Me)’ at a local nature reserve. Using Sally Welch’s book ‘Outdoor Church’ as a guide, we’ve shaped a service around ‘being, looking, listening’ (a time to take in our surroundings), ‘hearing’ (a Bible story), ‘collecting’ (foraging for things we can find), ‘creating’ (making something beautiful and memorable), ‘feasting’ (making and eating something), ‘celebrating’ (a fun game or activity at the end).
It’s been really good fun and the presence of God has been immediate and real as we’ve paid attention to creation. Adults and children love it.
by Natalie Burfitt, Assistant Curate with the South Cheltenham Churches
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