Engaging with schools
The majority churches struggle to attract and keep young people. Sometimes you need to be bold and If the children and youth are not prepared to come to the church then the church must be willing to go to them. Schools play a crucial role as it is where kids and young people spend most of their time. Churches who are serious about their youth and children ministry must consider building a connection with local schools and colleges.
The best way to talk about Jesus to youth and children is to get churches involved with schools
Do you know that numerous Christian organizations support, inspire and equip children and youth in secondary and primary schools, Universities, and Colleges across the UK? If you want your church to be involved with their work or want to become a volunteer, check out the organisations below and get in touch with them.
Pray for Schools exists to see every school in the UK a prayed-for school. We mobilise Christians to support their school communities through prayer. Click here for more information.
Prayer Spaces in Schools inspire and equip churches to serve the spiritual and pastoral life of their local school communities. This project has helped thousands of children and young people explore faith and spirituality from a broadly Christian perspective in a safe, creative, and interactive way.
A Prayer Space is usually a classroom sized area that has been transformed for a few days with a range of creative activities that encourage personal reflection on issues such as forgiveness, injustice, thankfulness, big questions, identity, and stillness. Prayer spaces are run by a suitably trained team from a local church or organisation and Prayer Spaces in School offer training to anyone who wishes to serve their local schools in this way. Take a look at their website.
Open The Book (OTB) is a project which offers primary school children an opportunity to hear key bible stories, from a team of Christians from local churches, who present the stories during assemblies/acts of collective worship. Click here for more information.
School meal during school holidays for deprived families
Did you know??
The scale of holiday hunger is huge, with over 1.5 million children receiving free school meals and millions are living in poverty. It poses an urgent question: What happens to the children in your community during the thirteen weeks of school holidays? For too many, the food runs out.
But what if your church could bring the answer?
TLG ‘Make Lunch’ enables and equips churches to bring hope to struggling children through holiday lunch clubs. Each club provides free, hot, and healthy meals to children and families who would otherwise go hungry. Through TLG ‘Make Lunch’, your church can provide vital support to some of the most vulnerable children in your community and build relationships with families in desperate need of the loving support of your compassionate church family.
Click here to know more about TLG and get your church involved with TLG ‘Make Lunch’.
Another project is Transforming Plymouth Together (TPT) has worked over the last few years with a number of churches on their ‘Feast of Fun’ project, a holiday club style programme of events where churches open to welcome families to a healthy, hearty meal and some fun.
Click here to find out about Feast of Fun at Home.
