St John's is a family friendly church with services and groups for children. In Church there is a family corner with toys and books for young children, a creche for the 0-3 year olds and groups for the children aged 3+ to join in.

The children 3+ have their own groups until near the end of the service when they join the rest of the congregation.

OUT OF THIS WORLD & THE ROCK

Out of this World and The Rock are our 2 new streams of children’s and youth groups on a Sunday morning at 10am.

Out of this World is for children aged 3-11. We meet in the Church Hall, and after some activities and our Bible story, we then divide into 3 smaller groups:

• Stars (3-6 year olds)
• Comets (school years 2-4)
• Meteors (school years 5 and 6).

We aim to make our sessions fun, active and all about Jesus, as we learn together from the Bible.  This term we are looking at what Mark’s Gospel teaches us about Jesus and what that means for us.  We also have a supervised crèche for children under 3.  These groups join the adults in Church towards the end of the service.

The Rock is for young people aged 11-14 (school years 7-9).  We meet most Sundays for an interactive Bible study where we chat, have fun and learn together from God’s Word.  Usually we start in the service (sitting on a specially reserved pew!) and then go to the group during the second hymn.  About once a month The Rock join in with main service, and on these weeks a short sermon guide is produced especially for members of The Rock.

If you would like any more information or to join any of these groups, please contact Michael Peach

On the first Sunday of each month we have a Family Service at 10am, which is a short service for all ages.  On the third Sunday we have an interactive Raise the Roof service at 6pm, with a practice at 4:30pm for those who would like to get involved in music, dance and drama.

If you feel that you could help with the Creche or any of the Sunday School groups on an occasional or regular basis do let me know. Diane Francis

On the first Sunday of the month there is a Family Service.

Family Service

Come and meet Bruno and YoMan. We invite you to 50 action packed minutes service for all ages held on the first Sunday of the month. Visit the Family Service page for more.

Jaffa Plus

A new initiative for anyone in School years 7-9, JAFFA PLUS

7:30-9pm first Thursday of the month ie 7th Oct, 4th Nov, 2nd Dec

What: Hot chocolate, games, activities, craft, looking at what Jesus said and did in the Bible.

Girls Bible Study every Thursday except when there is Jaffa +

For more information contact: Michael Peach (Associate Minister)

Why don’t children pray?

I WAS CHALLENGED recently by a friend, commenting to me that the reason children don’t want to pray, is because they don’t hear the adults around them praying.

I wonder how many of us these days say ‘grace’ before meals? How many of us say our prayers before we go to bed and when we wake up in the morning?

I must admit that I can’t answer ‘me’ to any of those questions, at least not on a regular basis. Why not? Perhaps I could blame it on my upbringing—not coming from a Christian family, I never got into the habit of doing those things when I was a child, so it does not come naturally now. But perhaps, if I’m honest, the real reason is that I’m lazy. It takes effort - especially when the children are clattering their knives and forks on the table or already tucking into their food. It’s easier just to let them eat. One less battle to fight.

Sometimes being a Mum feels like a battle—a battle to find suitable clothes in the morning,  a battle not to have the television or the Wii running every waking hour, a battle to keep the peace as one child runs off with the other’s toy and a battle to walk to school instead of driving—I mean even by lunchtime you are exhausted; it’s like having stones thrown at you all the time!

And yet, we make the effort to get our children to school on time, dressed in their school uniform and to transport them to their various clubs. I wonder if we have got our priorities right.

The Bible tells us: Parents, don't be hard on your children. Raise them properly. Teach them and instruct them about the Lord. (Ephesians 6:4)

Surely then, that involves showing our children how to pray.

If you are anything like me, praying out loud doesn’t come easily—I usually end up getting stuck for words half way through the prayer and end with a hurried ‘Amen’, feeling rather embarrassed.

Luckily we live in a society in which there are numerous different books we can buy with beautifully written prayers.

Why not ask Rosemary Tadman, who runs the bookstall, to get hold of one for you.

Lindsey Saunders