The diocesan Children and Family Ministry Group’s second workshop day highlighting the theme of ‘Welcome’ took place on Saturday, 2nd March 2024 at Northridge House.

The Rev. Abigail Sines writes:

Following on from last October’s event, ‘Renewing our Welcome’, this recent event highlighted the theme of ‘Welcoming All Ages’, focusing on how parishes can include and nurture the participation of children and young people in our regular patterns of worship. Representatives of twelve parish unions took part in the event, which featured a presentation by Joanna Griffin, Kinsale Union, sharing her learning from the Hand in Hand Children’s Ministry Conference, which she recently attended on behalf of CCR.

Ivy Tanner, Fermoy Union, shared:

‘I really loved the Lord’s Prayer and especially the Grace, with actions. It slowed down the prayers and brought focus to the words rather than having them just ‘rattled’ off. The “Fizzy Forgiveness” prayer space, well, there should be a bowl of that in every house! What a great calmer for children in particular, where they can take the time to consider their grievance/hurt and decide to let it go – love it!’

Eoghan Healy, a candidate for OLM in Cloyne Union, shared:

‘I found the workshop to be really informative. I liked the way it was practising being accessible by being accessible. The various activities: crafts, singing, dancing, playing, and discussing are very implementable by regular people like myself. We all know people who are naturally wonderful when it comes to engaging with young people, but this workshop wasn’t about those people (I have no doubt some were in the room). It gave concrete activities and resources that we all can use and implement in our own churches. The workshop modelled how various spaces can be set up to allow groups to work together. The workshop also highlighted how all age worship can flow into our regular patterns of worship. The structures seem to be already in place upon which we can hang our engagement with families. I left the workshop with some very simple, easily run activities that can profoundly communicate our faith to the whole of our Church family.

April Gunn, from Carrigrohane Union and a member of the organising group, shared:

‘My personal highlights of the day were: learning and singing together the songs, ‘Gloria! Gloria! In excelsis Deo!’ by Mike Anderson and ‘Creator God’ by Nick and Becky Drake; the discussion group time where we discussed the question ‘What does it mean to be welcoming to all ages?’ and then came up with a list of practical ways to incorporate this thinking into the various parts of a Church Service; the craft time; hearing from Joanna about the Hand in Hand Conference and seeing some of the resources from that; and generally getting to spend time and to chat to people who are equally passionate, about working with children and families, as I am. It truly was an encouraging, fun-filled and inspiring event.’