Good news for children and young people

During March, as well as continuing with our Lent Course Handing on the Torch: Sacred words for a secular world, our other activities at St John's Seven Kings during Lent will focus on children and young people.

On Sunday 18^th March our young people will lead our All-Age Mothering Sunday service. Our young people are currently planning the service themselves and are exploring ways of saying thank you as well as looking at the bible stories about Mary and Elizabeth. The service is likely to feature cards, poems and puzzles, as well as the bunches of daffodils which are given out to all the women present.

Then on 26^th and 30^th March schoolchildren from Newbury Park Primary School and Downshall Primary School will be visiting St John’s to learn more about Easter through a series of Easter Activity Stations.

Last year, at the invitation of the Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education (SACRE) in Redbridge, we ran Easter Activity Stations for both schools and they proved so popular that both are bringing their children to St John’s again this year. For the pupils coming, this will be an opportunity to understand more about the narrative of Easter, reflect on the meaning of Easter for Christians, and take time to think on what some of the Easter concepts mean to them.

Here is an example of one of last year's Easter activity stations:

Reflection - Can you think of somebody who has put themselves out for you like Jesus did for Christians? Who was that person and what did they do that was special?

Activity - Write a Thank you card.

Going for Growth is a Church of England report which challenges churches to try to become good news for children and young people instead of simply trying to teach good news to children and young people. To do, it suggests, the Church will need fresh eyes to see itself:

“Such a church would need the confidence to deal with questions rather than always having to find the answers. It would be prepared to surrender its life and lets its institutions be

transformed. The sadness is that churches rarely have the confidence which enables

them to face the questions theology may ask of them, especially in the devastating

directness such questions may take on in the mouth of a child (or young person).

Churches lack the humility to face the truth about the quality of their life and worship

and to set about addressing the needs which are then identified. A church which

welcomes children (and young people), accepts their gifts and ministries, meets their

needs, advocates justice, seeks new life, challenges evil with love and truth, and

continues to learn the values of the Kingdom by living them, is a Church which is good

news not only for its members but for the world.”

In a small way, through our activities this month and on an ongoing basis, we are seeking to be that kind of a church.

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Sister Act 2 - Joyful, Joyful.