1 Sep 2005 - News From <i>The Link</i>
ARE YOU A NEW MUM needing to get out of the house and talk with other mothers? Or, are you a parent or carer of a toddler who needs some activity time around other children?
Well if the answer is yes, then we would love to see you at St Luke's !TODDLERS! on a Friday morning in St Luke's church during the school term time.
This lively and friendly group has been run by the church for five years and is very popular with all ages of pre-school children.
It starts at 10.00am with playtime for all the children. There is a variety of different toys for all the ages from baby gyms and walkers to duplo, cars, dressing up, a train set, puzzles and books and lots, lots more.
At around 10.40 the children can come to a story time, which often involves some sort of participation, so we don't expect the children to be quiet! This is always followed by a craft activity related to the story, which the children can take home. If you feel your child is too young for the story time then coffee and teas start to be served for the parents, as well as drinks and a snack for the children, all for a minimal charge of 50p per family. We are careful about what snacks we give the children as we have had children with severe food allergies attend the group. Often the children are very happy with fresh fruit, already prepared by our coffee team. As we try to be careful to create a safe environment for all to relax in, we do ask that food is not brought in from home in case it may harm another child.
At 11.15 we start to tidy the toys away, encouraging the children, parents and carers to help as well. This then creates a large space for everyone to sit together for song time and notices, before everyone goes home at 11.30.
You will always find a warm and friendly welcome from the helpers and attendees of St Luke's !TODDLERS! and, as we don't keep a register of members there is no waiting list. To attend you simply turn up when you are ready.
As with every voluntary run group we are always appreciative of anyone who would like to help set up or tidy away, or maybe feels like leading the story time or singing time once in a while. Just speak to one of the helpers with your offer, or ring Sarah Chestney on 01242 522348.
Notes on the Parish Prayers
It came as something of a shock to realise I have been writing the Parish Prayer slot for almost 16 years! Although I have varied the format, is it time for a complete change? Does anyone use them? The prayer themes cannot be too topical, as they need to be submitted in time for the next issue, so do they justify the amount of space they take up? I have not noticed the prayer for the month being used in other contexts and although I did ask a few years ago if the PCC would like to give me any topics they would like to be included and advance notice of events to include, this wasn't found to be necessary.
It is not an onerous commitment, and I will continue if people feel they are useful but perhaps there is someone who would love to take this over and has been too polite to say! Or perhaps someone would like to "job share" on an alternate month basis and give some variety and freshness to what may have become stale. Comments welcome please.
Coralie Tel:01242 242672.
e-mail: glossr@star.co.uk "S" pigeon hole
RITE OF PASSAGE
Couples nowadays who have decided against marriage even when they have children are choosing instead a traditional ceremony of another kind, according to two recent press articles.
The first, in the Church Times of 3 June by a vicar in Cumbria, noted hugely increased numbers attending infant baptisms when most of the parents were not married. He concluded that celebrating the birth of a child with Christian baptism is a way of involving society in their family event and marking a personal relationship with a public show. Frocks, hats, video, champagne, party, presents (for the child rather than the house); these are all the trappings of a substitute wedding.
The second article, in the London Evening Standard on 6 July, described a young mother's experience of organising baptism for her 3 children aged 8, 2 and 10 months. Granddaughter of a clergyman but "not particularly religious", she valued the central role of the Church in the life of her village and worried that unbaptised the children might be denied burial in the churchyard. It was not about school entry as they were all Church schools locally and not oversubscribed. Instead she and the children's father simply wanted to celebrate their new family, and christening seemed the answer. Marquees and entertainers were hired and a big party enjoyed by friends and relatives.
When so many social problems today stem from missing or feckless fathers, for the mothers seeking the Church at this moment (and it usually is the mothers, for they still bear the primary burden of childrearing) a church christening is a way of getting the fathers to acknowledge paternity and face the responsibilities of parenthood in a formal and public setting. It also involves their community in the vitally important task of bringing up children - in Nick Hornby's words they "need backup". This is why parents reluctant to make vows to each other willingly walk the aisle for the sake of children.
The trouble is that the baptism rite was not intended for this purpose. Would the Thanksgiving for the Gift of a Child service from Common Worship be better? The Church has an opportunity to showcase the relevance of the Christian faith to society's most basic concern: raising the next generation. We must not overlook this evident spiritual need in our increasingly secularised society or we risk "travelling through enemy territory in a sealed train" as Dietrich Bonhoeffer put it. A modern naming ceremony, with an appropriate level of spiritual content, which celebrates the importance of family and child-rearing and commits the support of others in prayer and love should be offered. Or perhaps in the meantime marriage will come back into fashion.
Heather Barton
Well if the answer is yes, then we would love to see you at St Luke's !TODDLERS! on a Friday morning in St Luke's church during the school term time.
This lively and friendly group has been run by the church for five years and is very popular with all ages of pre-school children.
It starts at 10.00am with playtime for all the children. There is a variety of different toys for all the ages from baby gyms and walkers to duplo, cars, dressing up, a train set, puzzles and books and lots, lots more.
At around 10.40 the children can come to a story time, which often involves some sort of participation, so we don't expect the children to be quiet! This is always followed by a craft activity related to the story, which the children can take home. If you feel your child is too young for the story time then coffee and teas start to be served for the parents, as well as drinks and a snack for the children, all for a minimal charge of 50p per family. We are careful about what snacks we give the children as we have had children with severe food allergies attend the group. Often the children are very happy with fresh fruit, already prepared by our coffee team. As we try to be careful to create a safe environment for all to relax in, we do ask that food is not brought in from home in case it may harm another child.
At 11.15 we start to tidy the toys away, encouraging the children, parents and carers to help as well. This then creates a large space for everyone to sit together for song time and notices, before everyone goes home at 11.30.
You will always find a warm and friendly welcome from the helpers and attendees of St Luke's !TODDLERS! and, as we don't keep a register of members there is no waiting list. To attend you simply turn up when you are ready.
As with every voluntary run group we are always appreciative of anyone who would like to help set up or tidy away, or maybe feels like leading the story time or singing time once in a while. Just speak to one of the helpers with your offer, or ring Sarah Chestney on 01242 522348.
Notes on the Parish Prayers
It came as something of a shock to realise I have been writing the Parish Prayer slot for almost 16 years! Although I have varied the format, is it time for a complete change? Does anyone use them? The prayer themes cannot be too topical, as they need to be submitted in time for the next issue, so do they justify the amount of space they take up? I have not noticed the prayer for the month being used in other contexts and although I did ask a few years ago if the PCC would like to give me any topics they would like to be included and advance notice of events to include, this wasn't found to be necessary.
It is not an onerous commitment, and I will continue if people feel they are useful but perhaps there is someone who would love to take this over and has been too polite to say! Or perhaps someone would like to "job share" on an alternate month basis and give some variety and freshness to what may have become stale. Comments welcome please.
Coralie Tel:01242 242672.
e-mail: glossr@star.co.uk "S" pigeon hole
RITE OF PASSAGE
Couples nowadays who have decided against marriage even when they have children are choosing instead a traditional ceremony of another kind, according to two recent press articles.
The first, in the Church Times of 3 June by a vicar in Cumbria, noted hugely increased numbers attending infant baptisms when most of the parents were not married. He concluded that celebrating the birth of a child with Christian baptism is a way of involving society in their family event and marking a personal relationship with a public show. Frocks, hats, video, champagne, party, presents (for the child rather than the house); these are all the trappings of a substitute wedding.
The second article, in the London Evening Standard on 6 July, described a young mother's experience of organising baptism for her 3 children aged 8, 2 and 10 months. Granddaughter of a clergyman but "not particularly religious", she valued the central role of the Church in the life of her village and worried that unbaptised the children might be denied burial in the churchyard. It was not about school entry as they were all Church schools locally and not oversubscribed. Instead she and the children's father simply wanted to celebrate their new family, and christening seemed the answer. Marquees and entertainers were hired and a big party enjoyed by friends and relatives.
When so many social problems today stem from missing or feckless fathers, for the mothers seeking the Church at this moment (and it usually is the mothers, for they still bear the primary burden of childrearing) a church christening is a way of getting the fathers to acknowledge paternity and face the responsibilities of parenthood in a formal and public setting. It also involves their community in the vitally important task of bringing up children - in Nick Hornby's words they "need backup". This is why parents reluctant to make vows to each other willingly walk the aisle for the sake of children.
The trouble is that the baptism rite was not intended for this purpose. Would the Thanksgiving for the Gift of a Child service from Common Worship be better? The Church has an opportunity to showcase the relevance of the Christian faith to society's most basic concern: raising the next generation. We must not overlook this evident spiritual need in our increasingly secularised society or we risk "travelling through enemy territory in a sealed train" as Dietrich Bonhoeffer put it. A modern naming ceremony, with an appropriate level of spiritual content, which celebrates the importance of family and child-rearing and commits the support of others in prayer and love should be offered. Or perhaps in the meantime marriage will come back into fashion.
Heather Barton