Summer is fast approaching, a time when we are particularly thankful for our children, youth and families work. Many churches are preparing to host holiday clubs with fun, affordable activities, creating valuable opportunities for community engagement.
Take a look at some of the ways that churches in the Diocese of Gloucester are reaching out to families this summer.
Beacon Benefice: Four days of family fun
From 21 to 24 July, the Beacon Benefice will be hosting four days of family events, including a Sherlock supper, a rounders match, a community picnic, a film afternoon showing The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, and a ‘come and play’ session for mothers, babies and toddlers.
→ Book onto the Sherlock family supper
On 13 July, St Mary’s Painswick will ‘RECOGNISE‘ the dedication of its children, youth and families volunteers during its 11am family service.
Vics Soutar, Beacon Benefice All Age Minister, said:
“We are celebrating RECOGNISE to thank those who help with our children’s work. We will also be interviewing one of our children, youth and family ministry volunteers, in the hope that this will inspire others to volunteer and join in with this fantastic ministry.
“We’re holding our ‘Four days of Family Fun’ in our village communities to try and help our families out at the start of the long summer holidays. We have made lots of connections through our work in the schools, churches and children’s groups over the year and we’d like to continue this in the holidays. We hope that having a bit more time together, by doing things in the holidays, will give us a bit more time to deepen relationships and make connections.
“We are also hoping that by holding different activities in the different villages it will bring families together that might not usually meet, to help develop friendship and support networks. We want to show our families that they are important to our churches, and for them to know that they will always receive a warm welcome whenever they come to any of our events.
“We hope that by serving them through Christ’s love, they may one day want to find out a bit more about Him for themselves.”
St George’s, Brockworth: Summer activity programme
St George’s Church, Brockworth is launching a programme of 15 events from 23 July to 29 August. These include face painting, arts and crafts, forest school, a glow-in-the-dark party, bubble workshops, a petting zoo, donkey rides, and a ‘walk with hawks’ event, where children meet the hawks and learn about nature.
The ice-cream company Walls has even donated lots of ice-cream for the first day, to contribute to the launch of the summer programme.
The events are free, but there will be stalls and cream teas asking for a charge to raise money for the church. The programme has been designed for families who are staying local over the summer.
→ The full summer activity programme can be viewed here
The Revd Mike Smith, Vicar of St George’s Brockworth, said: “We started planning the programme in January, knowing it would take a lot of work and funding. We have worked closely with Brockworth Primary Academy who has helped to promote the events, and the local URC Church has helped with organising the sports activities and the glow in the dark party. We have a close partnership with Brockworth Link Library, and we are running the programme together.
“We decided last summer to work together on a summer programme. We were able to pool our funding and resources and plan together, and it worked. Around 200 children came to the events last year.
“St George’s received money from the diocesan Mission Grant Scheme, and the Hibiscus Project. Faith is at the centre of what we do. Most of the children who come along don’t have a faith background. We are about three or four steps away from talking with them about Jesus or God, but this programme allows us to start a journey, building relationships and introducing faith in a natural, welcoming way.
“Our hope is that these events are just the first step. We’ll be inviting families to parenting courses, light parties over Halloween, and Christmas services later in the year, to keep the conversation going.
“I would encourage other churches to run summer activities too, because many families can’t afford holidays. We wish for everyone to leave each day of the programme saying ‘that was fun, I want to come back’. Fun shouldn’t be underestimated.”
West Cheltenham parish: The Miracle Mystery Tour – performing arts holiday club
From 4 to 7 August, The West Cheltenham parish is hosting The Miracle Mystery Tour, a performing arts holiday club for children in year 4 to 9, with year 10 and older invited to help as junior leaders.
It is aimed at children in Cheltenham, with priority given to those in the GL51 postcode.
The club, based on the stories and miracles of Jesus, will take place each afternoon, from 1.30pm to 4.30pm at All Saints’ Academy, culminating in an evening performance on the final day – children will stay from 1.30pm until 8pm, with a dinner included.
A special guest, Frederick Afrifa, who starred in this year’s The Apprentice, has volunteered to give a motivational talk before the show, and stay to watch the performance.
The club will include workshops in drama, music, puppetry, dance, and improvisation will focus on biblical stories. A street dance session and a workshop led by the Everyman Theatre’s community outreach will also be offered.
Janice Hamilton, Community Pioneer Minister at West Cheltenham parish, said: “We did a passion play in Easter 2024, followed by a community nativity last Christmas. The performing arts holiday club is a spin-off from this. We will have people who worked on these performances coming to help out.
“This is about more than just fun. It’s a chance for children to experience God’s word in a creative, non-traditional way. We encourage them to explore the stories and reflect on what’s happening and how people might feel. It’s not formal Bible study, but it opens the door to faith conversations.
“We’ve developed a script based on Bible stories like the miracles and parables of Jesus for the final performance, but there’s also room for the children to create music and skits themselves. For example, they compose music to accompany the story of the storm on the lake and perform small group scenes from parables.
“The Mission Grant from the diocese made this possible, as well as All Saints’ Academy who offered the venue to us free of charge. Their Head of Drama also promoted the club to students, and has volunteered to handle lighting for the final evening performance.”
→ For more information and to book on to the Miracle Mystery Tour
The summer holidays are a time when the work of our children, youth and families ministers and volunteers is particularly visible, as churches seek to serve the needs of their community.
If you’d like to recognise the valuable contribution your children, youth and families ministry makes, why not thank them, pray for them and maybe even bake them a cake.
Find out more about signing up to RECOGNISE —>
Jo Wetherall, Senior Children and Families Connector, said:
“Summer holiday clubs provide an opportunity for churches to reach out into their community and connect with children and families who we perhaps don’t get to build relationship with at other times of the year.
“Spending a concentrated time with children means we really get to know them, have some good conversations and perhaps share faith in a high energy and exciting way. Holiday clubs can also meet a very real social need and provide children with a holiday at home experience, easing the summer pressure on family budgets.
“Holiday clubs are very resource heavy, especially in terms of people power, so some churches like Wootton Under Edge and the Stroudwater Team are offering really creative self guided trails, with a combination of interactive prayer spaces and activities for children and families. Holiday clubs create a sense of pilgrimage and encourage a feeling of belonging to their church community.”
If you have any summer holiday clubs or activities going on at your church this summer, contact Jo Wetherall or Beth Jackson, Mission and Ministry Team Administrator, so we can share the details.
News Hub
