St. Catherine's Young People (S.C.Y.P.)
On this page you will find some useful links for anyone working with children. If you scroll down the page there is information on our programme over the next weeks.
A message from Christine Hodgson
During term-time at our 10am Sunday morning worship, children of all ages are very welcome to participate in teaching, craft and worship in our side aisle. The photograph shows us in the side-aisle after the Service on Easter morning (I'm the one in white).
SCYP
We choose our activities to cover
a wide age-range. Pre-school children accompanied by a parent or carer will be
able to participate in most of our activities, but we also have a selection of
books and soft toys available.
I have been involved with the children's ministry at St. Catherine's since 1994 and have been CRB checked. We use material from 'Roots' - a children and young people's weekly lectionary-based resource.
'Toy Stories'
Friday 22nd January
St. Catherine's Side aisle.4pm -6pm
Come and share the new games you got for Christmas.
On this occasion, let's keep it to non electronic games, eg card games, board games....Don't worry if you haven't got anything to bring I am hoping to bring 'Wobble' which is amazing,so why not come and join in?
After tea (a small donation towards the cost accepted) we can watch some extracts of Toy Story 2 before ending with a short act of worship.
The evening is open to everyone of all ages. Children under the age of 8 years to be accompanied by a parent. To help with catering it would be helpful, but not essential, to indicate in advance if you will be attending.
Please contact Christine 764753
St. Catherine's Young People. January 2010.
There are lots of activities and events in December, I do hope you will come along to as many of them as you can.
On Sunday 3rd January we are encouraged to meet at St. Andrew's, Dawson Street for a United Service, to take part in their Covenant Service. There will be no Children's work in the side aisle on Sunday 27th December, but we will resume on Sunday, January 10th 2010.
Dear All
2010 has started rather wintry but I hope you have had a great Christmas. Thank you to everyone for all the hard work leading up to Christmas at St. Catherine's. The Christingle service was amazing and we still had a full church despite the bad weather. I am very pleased to announce that I am sending off a cheque to the Children's society for £126.15p
This Saturday, 9th January, St. Catherine's will host a resources day for those working with young people throughout Stanhope Deanery. It will be an informal day from 10am -2pm (weather permitting). A soup lunch will be provided and you are very welcome to come and join us. Please ring me before you set out though, just to make sure it has not had to be cancelled.
Our monthly planning meetings towards the end of 2009 did not take place due to small numbers, and lots of other commitments, but I have provisionally booked some dates for us to get together in 2010. My hope is that our Sunday morning helpers will join us and anyone else who is interested in the work we do with our young people. Everyone's input is important.
The meetings will be at 53 Beechburn Park from 7.30pm - 9.00pm but the venue is flexible to accommodate childcare arrangements. I will try to get the information to everyone before the meeting but please ring or email me if you have not had the date and venue confirmed.
Here are the proposed dates.
January 21st July 15th
February 18th August (no meeting)
March 18th September 16th
April 15th October 21st
May 20th November 25th
June 17th December 16th
The first date already conflicts with an introduction to 'The Big Read' at St Nicholas' Durham so please let me know if you want me to change it.
I am suggesting that our first event of 2010 is a 'Toy Story' evening on either 15th or 22nd January from 4pm -6pm. Bring a game you got for Christmas, or just your favourite game. We will be able to enjoy playing games together before we have tea then watch 'Toy Story 2'. Keep an eye on the Sunday message and the church notice board for more details.
Another date for your diary is Saturday 20th March for a pilgrimage to Lindisfarne. More details shortly.
I look forward with excitement to another year!
Love
Christine.
*Messy Church, (www.messychurch.org.uk) began in April 2004 in an Anglican church near Portsmouth. It is a church for families who find it hard to go to church on a Sunday. It meets once a month, the most significant aspects are those of
- Welcoming the whole family together, not just the children.
- Being a church not a club.
- Eating together.
So far at St. Catherine's we have held a number of sessions (wii bowling and pancakes, living history and a music workshop) If we want to develop these ideas and consider 'messy church' we will have to pray together about it and do lots of imaginative thinking, and listen to those who don't come to church or who are on the edge of church.
*Godly play (www.godlyplay.org.uk) can help you see and do things differently. It is based on Montessori Religious Education, and developed by the Revd Dr Jerome Berryman, an Episcopalian priest in the US. It has become something of a phenomenon in the UK over the last 10 years.
Below you can see some photographs taken during some of our activities on a typical Sunday morning in our side aisle.
