Welcome to kids' church
@ home - Week 1

WELCOME to virtual Kids' Church!

For the first time in its history, the Church of England is closing its' doors to the worshipping community - but The Church is the People - yes? The called-out ones! And we will carry on shining the Light of Jesus into the dark places and for our neighbours. So I've a few suggestions as to how you might continue as Church while in the microcosm of your small family group.

# 1   How about making your own little Prayer Space in a corner of your home, or in a pop-up tent, under the dining room table, in a spare room or somewhere else -  it doesn't have to be more than a small table or box, with a cloth and a candle (a battery-operated one is safest of course with young children!), maybe a cross, a vase of flowers, a bible......and here's a prayer of blessing to use in it as often as you like :

Blessing Prayer for a prayer space at home March 2020.pdf 

#2 This coming Sunday, 22nd March, as well as being Mothering Sunday, is also the NATIONAL DAY of Prayer called for by The Archbishop of Canterbury and Churches Together in England - please do join us in prayer for our nation and the world. If you can remember to put a lighted candle in your window at 7pm, as a sign of Hope for your neighbours to see - even better!
And maybe ask your children if they know this song and the actions to it (its so fun to join in too !) let them teach it to you -you could go all round the house singing it for fun!

this little light of mine.mp4 
 
 #3. At 11am on Sunday you will be able to join the rest of Christ Church doing our worship" together" online (that's a first!). Find the Live streams on facebook here

And then, for your children - here's a bit of Kid's Church, though not as much fun as being together. It will vary week by week. Sometimes I'll read or have a message on a video link. This week everything has been happening and I've not got that far! Sorry. We also had Easter Experience, enjoyed by over 100 children, but then on Tuesday we heard the rest of the school had to pull out.... Anyway - Here's a song you can sing together (get your kids to show you the actions!) Our God is a great big God.mp4 and our Story today is Jesus, the Good Shepherd...

You can find  2 versions in your Bibles : Luke 15:4-7, John 10:1-18 and here is a version of it in cartoon form - The Lost Sheep.mp4 

John 10:1-6 - for older kids to think about with you
What 3 groups of people does Jesus talk about in this passage?
Why does the thief climb over the wall?
What happens when a stranger calls the sheep?
What is different when the shepherd calls the sheep?
How do the sheep react to the shepherd?
How do the sheep recognise Jesus' voice?
How can we learn to recognise Jesus' voice?
Ask them if they think we ever follow strangers instead of Jesus? Can they think of real life examples where we might follow someone else's wrong teaching instead of doing what Jesus tells us?

Try to find a picture of  Jesus the good shepherd on Google images...You could find a few......
Ask your child to look at the images, and as they do to listen to Jesus, so they can hear his voice talking to them. Encourage them to draw or write down what they think Jesus has said to them. (Remind them that they probably won't hear an audible voice: it is more likely that they will get an idea or even a picture come into their mind.)
If your child is having trouble hearing God ask them to think about how Jesus looks after us, like sheep, and to write or draw something about this. Expect Jesus to talk to children!

And if they'd like to make a craft ?

Here are a few ideas -you may have more, and I'd love to see any photos of your creations!

How about using marshmallows or popcorn to make an edible sheep?! you'll need to use your imagination to stick him together (melted chocolate? Matchmaker legs? icing? )
OR
Cotton wool sheep with stick-on eyes
OR
Play dough or plasticine or air-drying clay sheep
OR simply draw a sheep with its shepherd :-)

PRAYER :
We love to talk to God and listen to Him too, so don't forget to give your child a chance to say / make up a prayer - you might like to include something like this 

Dear Jesus,
thank you that you are the Good Shepherd who loves us so much.
Thank you that we do not need to be sad or afraid. Thank you that you take care of us and we can always trust you. Amen.

OK, well that's about it for this week! Please stay in touch, send any prayer requests from your family, and photos of them doing Church, your prayer Space, your arty creations -all will be most welcome. Maybe one day when we are all back together again, we'll have a wall of pictures to celebrate!

love to you all
blessings

Ruthy Lillington |  Children's Pastor 
ruthy.lillington@ccweb.org.uk