Children and Young People
Margaret Oultram writes:
JAM CLUB
Held at St Mary’s each Wednesday from 3:30-5:00pm during term time. This group is for 4-11year olds (reception to year 6) It is an after school club, where we do all sorts of activities from crafts, drama, cooking, story telling, prayers, puppet work, singing, video clips, games and music with Christian teaching. The group starts with a drink and biscuits with free time for the first 20mins till all the children arrive during which time the children can draw or play games such as Jenga or Hungry Hippo’s!47 children are on the register since September, approximately 30 attending each week.
100% BOSS CLUB
Held at St Mary’s alternate Tuesdays from 5:30-7:00pm during term time. This group is for 8-12 year olds. (school year 4-7) The running of the group divides fairly evenly between Christian teaching and games, games being of main importance for the members, but they join in and participate well, as we try and present the teaching part in a fun way. Most of the children in the group are un-churched and do not go to the church school. I have two other leaders who help, but do not want to lead the sessions. There are 13 young people on register since September, about 8-10 come each fortnight.YOUTH FELLOWSHIP
Held at St Mary’s each Sunday evening from 7:30-9:00pm. The group is for 12 upwards (school year 8 and upwards) The sessions includes a tuck shop, with social time at the beginning, ice-breaker game and then Christian teaching, delivered by chatting or discussion, drama, bible study or other activities. We join in with circuit events, weekends or YWT, enjoy our own planned “lock-in” fundraising events or weekends away, when we grow together as a group, with teaching and free time or as a group we go away on mission when the young people lead all the sessions with support of leaders.When a young person reaches 6th form (year 12+13) we encourage all who wish to get involved to join our planning meetings and start to give them responsibility within the Sunday evening session. At the moment we have 3 young leaders who are now over 18, unfortunately we have no one to replace these leaders in September when they will go off the university.
We have 35 young people attending since September, some have not been since confirmation class finished, and others don’t attend regularly. We have 18- 24 attending each week.
n-Gage
Held on the 1st and 3rd Thursdays of the month. This group is for 18-21 year olds, or the young leaders of Youth Fellowship. They felt they were “giving out” all the time and were not growing any deeper in their own spiritual lives. The session is social and chatting, followed with bible study and prayer. There are 3 young leaders attending at the moment, another 2 have been encouraged to join.HOLIDAY CLUB
Held the 1st week of the summer holidays, at St Mary’s, Holiday Club is a joint partnership with St Nicholas. Each year we have a new theme, which is the structure of all the Christian teaching, crafts and activities, from music, games, cooking, drama, story telling etc. We have around 60-75 children attend each day and about 90 register. Most of the youth fellowship are involved, and around 25 members of the congregations.VINEYARD YOUTH CLUB
Held at St Nicholas Centre each Friday during term time. Vineyard can take up to 40 young people from the age 10-16 years. Vineyard is a social club, where members can play computer games, pool, table tennis, watch videos and in the summer play football outside. There is also a tuck shop and occasionally the leaders will invite people in to share with the group, like police bringing the police horses, or organise a trip out ten-pin bowling. They also organise a trip to the Lake District, (about every 18 months) which is an adventure weekend, rock climbing, canoeing ect. Vineyard leaders and members are asked to join church parade each month at St Nicholas church.For more information about Vineyard, including its current programme, click here.
UNIFORMED GROUPS
Groups that meet at the St Nicholas Centre are Rainbows (Monday evening) 2 Brownie Packs (Tuesday and Friday) and Guides (Thursday) The boys' groups meet on their own premises but do attend St Nicholas Church Parade, held the 2nd Sunday each month, when the church is full and standing room only.MUMS AND TOTS
Held at St Nicholas each Tuesday from 1:00 till 3:00 term time. About 20 families attend.(Dads and grandparents also welcome!)St MARY’S CRECHE
At the moment held at the back of church, 2 new arrivals since the summer!St MARY’S SUNDAY SCHOOL
The Sunday school has recently divided into two groups, as we have a large group of 10 + age group (8-10). The original Sunday school now smaller in number (around 6-8) Cover the ages 4-9 year olds.St NICHOLAS CRECHE
Held at the back of church and busy!St NICHOLAS JUNIOR CHURCH
Numbers vary depending on the time of year!YOUTH FORUM
Held before the under 18’s leaders meeting. Young people are being encouraged to put forward their own ideas!