More Advent Resources…

Church Urban Fund

The Church Urban Fund has produced resources for reflection during the Advent season that focus on the financial pressure many feel under in getting ready for Christmas. This short term pressure often leads to long term despair for the poorest in our society.

Archbishop Justin has advocated strongly against exploitative pay day loans and, of course, it is Christmas time when people feel the most financial pressure. Our Advent Resources help individuals and churches to engage with these issues.

We have produced a free online Advent Calendar with short videos, reflections and prayer for each day of Advent. You can explore Days 1 and 2 by clicking on the doors with photos. You may like to forward this link to friends and family or other members of your church.

We can send daily reminders and a link for the calendar if you register here.

Advent Wrapped Up!

Advent and Christmas can provide an ideal opportunity to engage in mission and outreach activities that will make connections with the local community. There is a feeling of expectation in the air; people may be wondering what it is all really about and asking if there is something beyond the stress, expense and expectations of others that Christmas has become associated with.

Or it may be that you are involved in planning church services and events that reflect what is special about this time of year and what we are celebrating. If so, ideas to help with this would surely be welcomed!

Whatever your need, whether for ideas to use in your community, resources to use in church, gifts for others, or Advent readings for yourself and your church, BRF has drawn together a range of suggestions that will help you to share the real meaning of Christmas in your churches and communities.

More information is available to download here.

Children’s Society: Christingle Resources

Plan Early For Christmas!

With your support this year’s Christingle will be bigger and brighter than ever, raising essential funds to support our work with vulnerable children living in poverty in this country.

Our candelit Christingle services are a firm favourite of supporters of all ages.

We have everything you’ll need to organise your own Christingle.

Roots Autumn and Advent Resources

These activities are normally only available to ROOTS subscribers but ROOTS has provided them free for you to try.

‘Toast’ a drama for Harvest
This drama about comparing contributions to a Bring and share lunch explores how we often do not appreciate all that God gives to us and reveals His abundance. It also touches on the theme of being willing to take risks, as well as eating a balanced and varied diet, to challenge the children!

Clothe yourselves

An all-age service for Bible Sunday, 26 October

Bible Sunday gives us a chance to think about the place that Scripture has in our own walk with Jesus, and the way in which we can engage with the Bible in order to live more godly lives. This service is designed to be used alongside information and resources from the Bible Society’s website about their work across the world.

Advent calendar for adults and children
Our Advent calendar this year takes us on a journey with the Gospel readings for the four Sundays of Advent.  We are encouraged to look about us, in our everyday world, to spot things which link to the Gospel writer’s message.

Helping all ages to respond to the Bible reading
When we hear a Bible reading, we all engage and connect to it in different ways. ROOTS offers a range of activities for worship leaders to choose from to supplement the sermon or talk, to help people make sense of the passage for themselves. Click the link above to see the resources for Sunday 26 October 2014, and then scroll down and click on any of the Respond to the Word activities. They’re all linked to the Gospel readings, Matthew 22. 34-46.
A refreshed and renewed ROOTS

ROOTS resources are published in two magazines – Adult & All Age and Children & Young People, plus a supporting website.

From January a renewed ROOTS will include a refreshed design, an emphasis on exploring the distinctive voices of the gospel writers, more ideas for very young children, and expanded and enhanced resources for young people.If you’d like a free sample magazine, phone 0845 680 5317, or email rootssales@rootsontheweb.com to request a copy.

Youth Alpha – Minus all the preparation!

Christ Church, Winchester are hosting a Youth Alpha on Wednesday evenings from 6-8pm starting on the 8th October. So if you have a group of young people, small or large, and would like them to do the Alpha course – then all you need do is turn up, and be prepared to lead the conversation with your group. Christ Church will even provide the pizza!

For details email simon.russell@ccwinch.org.uk

Andrew Root: Take it from Bonhoeffer — there is no ‘Christian youth’

Absolutely stunning article from Andrew Root promoting his forthcoming book about Dietrich Bonhoeffer and youth work, compelling churches to stop “Christian Youth” ministry… I know… Bear with…

Definitely well worth a read. See if you can count how many times you say ‘yes!’ – or if you shout ‘no!’ drop us a comment to tell us why!

Youth Group Games App – The Best Free Resource Ever?

Know when you’re desperately looking for a last minute game for your youth group, and your brain has shut down… Well, the Diocese of Drown and Dromore in Ireland, has produced a completely free app available on iOS, Android and Windows platforms, with more the 150 tried and tested games ideas.

And there’s no catch… no ads, no fees, nothing.

We love it!

Just go to the app store, windows phone store or google play, search for ‘youth group games’ and that’s it!

Cracking!

Cracking Ministry is a fabulous day conference for people working with Families, Children and Young People in churches.

10 speakers, with 10 subjects each for 10 minutes… it’s a plan with no downsides!!!

Tickets are on sale now: £8 per person, groups of 5 or more pay just £40.

Saturday 15 November, 9.30 – 3.30, St Paul’s Church, Bursledon (SO31 8DT)

Full details here.

Did you get confirmed in the last 12 months?

If so, then you should have received an invitation to the Diocese of Winchester Confirmation Celebration! Saturday 27 September, 10.15am for worship and activities, finishing with a BBQ, Ice Cream van and Bouncy Castle.

It’s an event for all ages, so bring family and friends for a brilliant opportunity to celebrate being confirmed, to chat to the Bishops (and others) and to have a whole lot of fun!

For catering purposes we really need to know attendance, so please make sure you email helen.gunner@winchester.anglican.org to let us know you’re coming.

The Table, Curated Conversations for Pioneer Youth and Community Workers

If you consider yourself to be a pioneer youth and community worker then this new series of events from FYT, CYM and CMS might be right up your street:

“The Table is a space for pioneering youth and community workers to gather together for conversation, sustenance and learning. It’s being curated by CYM (Institute for Children, Youth and Mission), FYT (Frontier Youth Trust)’s StreetSpace community and CMS (Church Mission Society).

Using creative and participative processes, we want to learn from each other, dream new dreams and explore some of the specific issues related to working in pioneering contexts. We hope it will be a place where theory and practice collide, where ideas can be discussed openly and rooted back into the every day.

We’ll be running a series of events throughout the year, kicking off with ‘Tensions Around the Table’ on Monday 13th October, 10am – 4pm at Bristol CYM. Tickets are £15 (plus a small booking fee) which includes lunch, and are available to buy here – thetableevent.eventbrite.co.uk.”

 

More Ways to Pray

The ‘chatterbox’ has been popular with males and females of all ages for many years. In this idea, we use it as a fun and creative way to pray.

You will need:

• A4 paper
• pen/pencil

View this Youtube video for instructions on making a Chatterbox.

For prayer ideas for your Chatterbox FaithinHomes click here or click here for advice on other fun family activities even ways to pray with loombands!