go here for the Junior Church webpages The aims of the Junior Church are to offer children of all ages a positive, exciting and supportive introduction to Christian values and teachings and to provide a firm foundation for children from which they will prosper and grow in later life. This is approached in a structured way within a professional framework of teacher-led development. Children and their families are given the opportunity to participate together in worship through our monthly Family Service. This service takes place on the first Sunday of each month.
The older children are given encouragement and support to receive communion, first for communion before Confirmation, followed by Confirmation itself as a gradual, serious and considered Christian commitment. Children congregate for Junior Church in the front pews of the church where teachers will be waiting to greet them. Children are asked to arrive by 9:50am in readiness for the start of the morning service where they will be welcomed by the Vicar and join in the singing of the processional hymn with their wider church family. Following the hymn Junior Church withdraws to the Parish Centre for a brief introductory service based on the day's Gospel prior to dispersal to their age related teaching groups where they follow a Scripture Union syllabus entitled ‘Light'. By following this syllabus the children will gain a good grasp of the key events and teachings of the Bible whilst also developing a personal relationship with Christ. The children then rejoin their church family for communion/blessing and remain in the front pews for the remainder of the service. Parents are then required to collect their children personally from the children's group leader. There are eight groups within Junior Church , named after Biblical places which plot the life of Jesus.
Bethlehem - Nursery/Reception Nazareth - Year 1 Galilee - Year 2 Jordan - Year 3 Capernaum - Year 4 Bethany - Year 5 Jerusalem - Year 6 On the Edge - Year 7 and above (The young people chose this name to reflect their status, being on the verge of an adult commitment to Christ)
During each year Junior Church members are asked to bring a weekly donation to the collection plate which goes to the Church funds in order to support the Youth work of Christ Church.
In addition, Junior Church also aims to support three charities within a year, one local, one national and one international. We manage this through various events such as cake stalls, clothing collections and plate decorating !! We also sponsor one child's education in Haiti through the charity Worldshare. Any other activities involving Junior Church throughout the year will be outlined in newsletters to parents.
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