Family News - First Edition
Welcome to the very first of our special termly Newsletter for all of our families who have had their children baptised at St Peter's Church. As a family belonging to St Peter's this will give you all you need to know - what's on, when it is at as well as lots of family based news. Enjoy!
It wasn't like this, in our day! A first memory from Patrick
What is the first Church experience that you can remember? Mine was visiting church with Cubs and going up the tower and out onto the church roof. Maybe you can remember going to Church with your parents, friend or a favourite grandma. Was it strange or was it fun? Did you have to sit in a Service you didn't understand where you were hushed? Or did you go out with other children to a dusty vestry or paint-peeling church hall, to sit on hard chairs and do what you were told?
These kind of experiences can leave us as parents anxious about bringing our own small ones to church.
Here, at St Peter's our activities for children are very different from this kind of experience of church. Our facilities are light, warm, comfortable and welcoming. We welcome children participating and the days of 'hushers' are long gone.
So what might you find at St Peters not on the roof but in Mid week or or on Sundays.
Mid-Week
For parents and pre-school children who are able to attend a mid-week service, our Pram Service is not only a longstanding village feature but also a wonderful first step on the journey of faith.
Pram Service
When? 10.15am 2nd and 4th Thursdays in term-time.
Where? In church.
Our Pram Service is perhaps one of the least well-known services in Church life and there is never a dull moment in this lovely and busy service.
The regular routine of the service enables children to feel comfortable and secure - we ring the bell, sing together, and take part in the telling of God's story and a prayer - the children enjoy the service in their own inimitable ways.
This short child-friendly service is a very relaxed one, which you might find surprising in church! - and it is rewarding to see the children develop confidence and take pleasure in joining in.
We all know life with small children can be unreliable and so our start time is flexible and the worship lasts from about 20 - 30 minutes, after which everyone retires to St Peter's Rooms for play and refreshments. The children play and the grown-ups have time for a catch up and chat.
If you would like to come along, you would be very welcome. If you know anyone with a toddler, please helps us to pass the word on about the service as some of the children have now left to go to school. It's good fun and a really gentle start (for children and for parents!) introducing them the God and Jesus with stories, ritual, songs and play.
Pram Service dates for the diary:
September 11th & 25th
October 9th & 23rd
November 13th & 27th
December 9th
Sundays
There are some Sundays when as parents we want to spend time with God and worship without having to worry about the children! Our Sunday Service with Young Church allows everyone to worship in a way enjoyable and appropriate to adults and children.
Young Church
When? Sundays at 10.30am (dates with young church below)
Where? Church and St Peter's Rooms. Come into church together and the children go to young church shortly after the start.
Young Church provides an exciting and creative opportunity for children to discover more about Christianity in an enjoyable and safe environment in St Peter's Rooms. There are games, crafts, stories, songs and so much more.
Young Church takes place during the10.30am morning worship, the children go through to St Peter's Rooms early in the service and return during Communion in time to go up for a blessing with their parents.
Young Church dates for the diary:
October 5th
October 19th
November 16th
Come along and join in the fun!
Young Church Specials
In addition to regular Sunday morning activities there are a number of special Young Church events and activities.
One of the highlights of the year is the:
Young Church Nativity
When? Sunday 14th December
Where? Church and St Peter's Rooms.
Our Nativity Service offers opportunity for everyone to join in the fun of telling the events of Christmas and is a key marker in notching up the festive vibes. Acting roles like Mary, Joseph, Kings, Angels and Shepherds, Narrators, animals, stars and other characters give children an active role and for the parents... help with staging, lighting and refreshments is always welcome at this very popular event! Of course you can also just come and attend the service and bring family to join in too.
Date for the diary: this year's Young Church Nativity is on 14 December within the 10.30am Service.
Mad Science Praise Party - Advance Notice!
This year the church festival of All Saints lands in half term at the end of October and so sadly our popular Light Party will not happen this time around. Instead later in the year we will be inviting in a visiting team to host a Mad science praise party so watch this space or social media for more details.
There are other Sundays when it's great to have time together as a family at Church, to learn together, worship and enjoy God. These are opportunities to see how our children are growing in their faith and grow with them!. All these things and a cracking breakfast too are wrapped up in 'Breakfast Church'.
Breakfast Church
When? One special Sunday morning a month at 9.15am
Where? In St Peter's Rooms.
Breakfast Church is a relaxed informal time for children and parents to worship together.
On the breakfast menu: hot, cold and healthy options.
On the worship menu: songs and prayers accessible to all which can be used at home too. We explore our theme and bible passage together using games, crafts and interactive activities, sometimes our puppets, Benny and Julie-Anne make an appearance and then there is extra mischief and fun and loads of FUN!
Breakfast Church dates for the diary:
September 28th
October 26th
November 23rd
Other Special Events & Services
Our Specials' this term include:
Harvest Festival
Lots of our parents have a fond memory of taking up Harvest gifts at school or church.
We will be celebrating our Harvest Festival at St Peter's on Sunday 21 September at 10.30am and of course, if you would like to, a Harvest gift is welcome. Harvest gifts brought to the Service will then be distributed via Upton Food Pantry or Silk Life food bank.
Christingle Making Workshop
When? Sunday 7 December
Where? St Peter's Rooms
For many people in the village the Christingle Service kicks off Christmas. Prestbury Village Christmas Street Fayre will take place this year on the first Sunday of December and so we won't be having our usual Christingle Service. But do not despair, this opener for the Christmas season is not lost! Instead in St Peter's Rooms there will be a special Christingle-making workshop where children and parents can come and make their own Christingle. More details to follow.
Carols Around the Crib
When? Christmas Eve 3.00pm and 5.00pm
Where? In St Peter's
This is one of our most popular events of the year and so it is never too early to put Carols round the Crib into the diary! Come early at 3.00pm or later at the second sitting at 5.00pm. Always the perfect way to start your family celebration of Christmas. All welcome.
Nurturing your own Faith Journey (as a parent)
It isn't long before the little bundle of joy has grown to be the asker of difficult questions. It happens to us all as parents, and often sooner than we expect.
Children are straightforward with their asking of questions on the big issues of life, death, God etc and these questions can also get us thinking and wondering. Does the faith that we picked up in younger days have the answer to the children's (and our own) questions. Nurturing our faith journey is not just about learning more or developing the tools to learn, it is about encountering and being shaped by God who is real and alive.
At St Peter's we run regular short-five week courses that look at different aspects of Christian faith. Explore courses are friendly, and a good place to begin to ask questions about faith. If you are looking to nurture your faith or begin afresh, Exploring is a good option.
The next course is
Exploring Worship and starts Monday 15 September 7.30pm St Peters rooms
Confirmation - a service, a doorway and a decision
A decision: as an adult to confirm the decision made on your behalf by your parents and Godparents at Baptism, that you want to be a member of the Church.
A door: to receiving Holy Communion and to serving God in new ways.
A special service: Where we all gather to celebrate and where the Bishop comes any lays hands on those being confirmed, and prays for them.
If you want to know more about Confirmation or any of the above
Contact details
Patrick 01625 921942
Paula (Young Church)
Carol (Pram Service)
via the Church Office 01625 827625 or parishoffice@stpetersprestbury.org.uk
Exploring faith email Exploring@stpetersprestbury.org.uk