JANUARY 2022
GROWING LIFELONG DISCIPLES INSIDE
IN YOUR NEIGHBOURHOOD
COMMUNICATING INTERGENERATIONALLY
FIRST THINGS FIRST
EDITORIAL Getting ready for church has taken on a whole new look in our house over these past few months. Instead of walking down the road to the church building, we scurry around vacuuming and hiding all our mess before a small group of people turn up to be church together in our lounge.
It has been fascinating watching my two 6-year-old grandchildren, Robbie and Emily, get ready. They are loving having church in their home and there is something rich and deep in the way faith formation is happening for them right now. They are learning to see church entirely differently. It has made me think about the importance of what we are teaching our children about church and about faith, and the underlying values we communicate — sometimes intentionally but sometimes completely unintentionally. This Adventure is based around the idea that we need to know why we do what we do in children’s ministry if we are to grow our children into passionate, thoughtful life-long disciples. Annette’s article (page 4) calls us to focus on what is important and remember the importance of affirming children’s gift of worship and truth-telling. Liz’s article (page 6) looks at the importance of knowing your church ‘DNA’ and context in children’s ministry. No matter what practical shape our children’s ministry takes, these articles reflect important truths for our work with children. 2 www.sunz.org.nz
Sometime last year, Emily made a model of her church. You can see it in the photo here. She has based it on the building where her church met back in the days when church could meet like that. I wonder what she would build to represent church now? What would the children you know say about church? My hope and prayer is that Emily, and children like her, will take the learnings about church and about faith from this time with them when they are able to return to their church buildings. My hope and prayer is that we all will. May these words from Psalm 92:12-15 be true for us all. Ka rite te tupu o te tangata tika ki tō te nikau; ka rite tōna nui ki tō te hita i Repanōna. Ko te hunga i whakatōkia ki te whare o Ihowā ka tupu ki ngā marae o tō tātou Atua. Ka whai hua tonu rātou ua hina: ki tonu i te wai, matomato tonu; Hei whakakite i te tika o Ihowā: ko ia tōku kōhatu, kāhore hoki ōna hē. The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God. They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green, proclaiming, “The Lord is upright; he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him.”.
Hilary Hague National Director, Scripture Union New Zealand
CONTENTS
FEATURES
4
FIRST THINGS FIRST
ANNETTE OSBORNE
6
IN YOUR NEIGHBOURHOOD
12
COMMUNICATING INTERGENERATIONALLY
LIZ EICHLER
NIGEL WINDER
20 DELVING DEEPER ANDREW RAMSBOTTOM
22
THRIVE ANNETTE OSBORNE
- For use with Blue Star Group prin - Environmental statement example for use w CHILDREN'S MINISTRY
15 WAY2GO MAGAZINE
INTERVIEWS
10 Q&A 19 MEET THE CHILDREN & FAMILIES TEAM 24 LIGHT FOR THE PATH ANNIE ASHTON
26 OUT & ABOUT
RESOURCES
28 SU RESOURCES FOR LIFE
OFFSET VERSION - Portrait
PRODUCED BY THE SUNZ TEAM DESIGNED BY WINDSORCREATIVE
This publication uses vegetable based inks and environmentally responsible paper produced from Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®) certified, Mixed Source pulp from Responsible Sources.
First Things First
ANNETTE OSBORNE | SUNZ Children & Families Consultant
A
highlight for me in the past few months has been regular visits to the Tākapu Gannet Colony at Muriwai, on the West Coast. Currently, the birds are nesting and preparing for the arrival of their babies in a few months’ time. The headland is dotted with creamy white birds, navigating the winds and persevering at creating nests on the bare hillside. My camera is my companion on these trips. With hundreds of birds in sight, I have learnt to focus my lens on one bird at a time. Keeping an eye on one bird in the crowd allows me to get to know their movements and aim for the perfect shot. As we enter a new year, there is much to grab our attention. We can become overwhelmed with news items, social media feeds and the constant visual overload of the digital world. Like my experience at the Tākapu Colony, it takes intention to focus in on a few things. This year as a Children and Families Team we are committed to focusing in on what we consider to be the important aspects of working alongside children and families in church and community. As we approach a new year, how do we put the first things first? There is an account in the Gospel of Matthew
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that draws my attention over and over again. You can find it in Matthew 21. Imagine the scene. It was chaotic, crowded and noisy. The temple courts were filled with people from all over Jerusalem and beyond. Everywhere you looked there were people. Amid the crowd was Jesus, walking in the temple courts, most likely in Solomon’s Colonnade where all the debates happened. That’s where the religious leaders were to be found. People were clamouring for Jesus’ attention, bringing their sick and injured to him to heal. Word had spread, and people were desperate for hope and healing. I imagine Jesus stopped to talk with each one, calling them by name, touching their broken twisted limbs and
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AS WE APPROACH A NEW YEAR, HOW DO WE PUT THE FIRST THINGS FIRST?
healing them. Wonderful things were going on, says Matthew in his account of that day (Matt 21:15). But not everyone was happy. The religious leaders were indignant. This was no mild annoyance, but strong outrage. The subject of their indignation? A group of children, shouting praise! ‘Hosanna to the Son of David’. So, the leaders called Jesus’ attention to these children: “Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked him. “Yes,” replied Jesus, “have you never read, “ ‘From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise’?”1 In this moment there are two things I notice. In the midst of the crowds in the temple courts, the children are focused on Jesus. They cut through the crowd with their shouts of praise. The children call attention to Jesus. Secondly, Jesus turns his attention to the children. While the religious leaders are indignant, Jesus sees the children as bringing Psalm 8 to life before them.
Jesus in turn sees the children and affirms them. He quotes scripture in his response to the religious leaders, drawing attention to the fact that the children are bringing Psalm 8 to life through their words and actions. The way Jesus drew attention to the children highlights the importance of our role as advocates. Where are the children in our churches and communities who we can draw attention to? How can we create opportunities for the worship and truth telling of children to be heard and embraced? As we enter this year with all that crowds in on us, let us be aware of the children in our midst. Let us listen well to what they are saying and join with Jesus in affirming their gift of worship and truth telling.
As we enter this new year, this passage helps us to focus on what is important. What can the children and Jesus offer us as a way to think and act? Children are worshippers and truthtellers. Sure, their approach was noisy and disruptive — a criticism often levelled at children. I notice that Jesus didn’t seem to mind. What an opportunity we have to listen to the praises offered by children and to join in with them. Children recognise Jesus. The religious leaders had a hard time accepting who Jesus was. They debated with him and challenged him. The children praised him. While it would be unhelpful to tar all adults with this brush, there is a challenge in this passage to be aware of our propensity as adults to overlook children’s voices. 1 Matthew 21:16
JANUARY 2022 5
IN YOUR
neighbourhood [aka, Remember your DNA]
I
LIZ EICHLER | SUNZ Children & Families Team Leader
grew up watching Sesame Street. I learnt to count with The Count, had life lessons with Big Bird, and forever wondered what kind of creature Mr Snuffleupagus was. I can even still sing some of the songs: Sunny Days, Rubber Duckie and One of These Things (is not like the other). I remember, particularly, the words from the song The people in your neighbourhood. ‘Who are the people in your neighbourhood... The people that you meet each day...’
It went on to list a number of different professions, and the refrain we all joined in on was: ‘Well, they’re the people that you meet When you’re walking down the street They’re the people that you meet each day’
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While I didn’t grow up on an American innercity street, the song did cause me to think of those around me and, even more so now as an adult, the people I engage with in my everyday life. I often get asked where in Wellington I would recommend someone new to live. Cost, of course, is always a huge factor but there are so many other things to think about when looking for somewhere to live – location, bus routes, playgrounds… Some of the same could be said for when you’re looking for a church community to join. Maybe not playgrounds (but hey, why not!). What is it about our churches that attract the different people we choose to gather with every Sunday morning (Covid allowing) and journey with as a faith community?
The Children and Families Team here at Scripture Union NZ have been reading together Canoeing the Mountains by Tod Bolsinger1. One of the things that I’ve thought about while reading this book is that every church has its own DNA that has come about from its past and its actions, and this results in people with similar DNA being attracted to that church and to each other. Hold that in one hand while you think about this: while acknowledging the DNA of our churches, we also need to think about their context. Consider this quote from Children Matter2: 1 Tod Bolsinger, Canoeing the Mountains - Christian Leadership in Uncharted Territory, IVP, 2015 2 Scottie May, Beth Posterski, Catherine Stonehouse, and Linda Cannell, Children Matter - Celebrating Their Place in the Church, Family and Community, p115, Eerdmans, 2005.
‘Every church has its story. A story happens at a particular time and place with a distinct cast of characters. Just as each person is unique, each church and community is distinct.’
DNA and context, it’s who we are, and who we’re not, and figuring that out is key if we want to minister appropriately to the children and families in our own church. The early church looked very Jewish and changed as Christianity spread and encountered different cultures. The church grew through the work of the Holy Spirit, which took into consideration the needs of the community (neighbourhood) they found themselves in. The church in New Zealand doesn’t need to look like the church of another country. We need to be ourselves, we have different building blocks, different gifts, a different culture, and a different history that has shaped us. JANUARY 2022 7
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DNA AND CONTEXT, IT’S WHO WE ARE, AND WHO WE’RE NOT, AND FIGURING THAT OUT IS KEY IF WE WANT TO MINISTER APPROPRIATELY TO THE CHILDREN AND FAMILIES IN OUR OWN CHURCH.
So, while it is easy and often useful to source curriculum from overseas and via the web, we need to filter it through our own particular lens, for our own particular church DNA and context. There are increasingly good New Zealand content to tap into, take The Chronicles of Paki3 for example, or our own Breakthrough website4. Let’s take three churches: A small suburban church with a core of faithful couples, a few children and some teenagers. It sits in an affluent suburb, with a high level of education amongst the adults, most of whom work full-time. Most live within the suburb and the children are at the same schools.
1
2
An inner-city church with a history of serving those on the margins of society. A commuter church, there is little sense of community during the week, and many of the young people have other commitments that compete with church-related activities.
3 The Chronicles of Paki, Big Book Publishing. Five series are available from www.sunz.org.nz/shop 4 www.sunzbreakthrough.org.nz
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3
A vibrant church in a seaside town with mostly retirees attending. Those who are able, are highly reliable volunteers. There is one family that comes sometimes and a few grandchildren when visiting their grandparents.
Very different. Of course, they have much in common, not least of all their desire to serve God and make Jesus known in their communities. But how they go about this is, and should be, quite different. There is always the temptation to copy what we see working well in another church. Then we wonder why it didn’t quite go the same for us. Or we feel disheartened when we hear of all the amazing things another church is doing. We must always ask ourselves, why would we do it and would it work in our context? Always remember your DNA and the context in which you sit, because they’ve been there from the very beginning. Hold on to this verse whenever you’re feeling discouraged. There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but they all come from the same Spirit. There are different ways to serve the same Lord, and we can each do different things. Yet the same God works in all of us and helps us in everything we do. The Spirit has given each of us a special way of serving others. 1 Corinthians 12:4-7
Q& A
WE ASKED SOME PASTORS...
WHY DO
VALUE
YOUR
CHILDREN'S MINISTRY?
I love that children’s faith is uncomplicated. I love that children ask difficult questions.
I love that our kids are serving our community by being involved in church wide community projects and by each term taking morning tea to the police, ambulance, fire and hospital personnel.
I love the commitment and dedication of volunteers and leaders.
I love seeing our children make a successful transition into youth ministry.
I love that we are helping our children develop spiritual faith practices.
I love that we are seeing faith transmitted from one generation to the next.
I love that we are equipping parents to be faith educators, rather than expecting it all to happen in one hour on Sunday.
Lead Pastor, Invercargill Central Baptist
I love children’s energy.
I love that we are trying to get rid of the silos and involve our children in every part of church life, by being intentionally intergenerational. (I say ‘trying’ because this is a work in progress)
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KEITH HARRINGTON
“How tall is God and do you think I would come up to God’s knees?” Two simple questions from a child pondering God’s mystery, wanting to know and experience more, unafraid to think outside of the box. I wanted to answer, ‘what makes you think God has knees?’ but decided it wasn’t the time. This child’s parent had told them to ask me, saying jokingly (kind of) that I’m a pastor so I must know these things. The trouble is, I don’t. I have many questions about God too, and I want to continually ponder God’s mystery, I want to know and experience more, I want to be unafraid to think outside the box.
I think the answer is simple. Because they are us, the church. They are part of the body. Jesus doesn't distinguish who is part of his body/family by age. We are all valued and loved human beings that He calls his own, whether we are 5, 55, or 105! We try to place a special focus on children’s ministry as they are a part of the body and, due to their age, they need special attention and care. A highlight of lockdown this year is as we have transitioned our services to Zoom, not all, but many of the children have been able to interact in a greater way on screen in our services, contributing with their videos, pictures, and stories. As we have included a few age-appropriate activities for them in the main service I feel we have gotten to know this part of our family better. SARAH WRIGHT
Co-Pastor, River Valley Baptist Church
Our children’s ministry seeks to give space to children to explore who God is and to have the opportunity to experience something of God’s love, both through the presence and engagement of the Spirit and the wonderful leaders who pour themselves into the children. It is a space that is incredibly important in their faith formation, and for that reason (and many others) I deeply value our children’s ministry. STEVEN GOULSTONE
Pastor, Wellington South Baptist Church
At GPC we are blessed to be placed by God two doors up from the local primary school and to have Christian Kindergarten run on our premises — God’s mission field to children and families is literally on our doorstep and so we see this is a significant part of God’s call upon us. Ensuring we have a structured and well-coordinated children’s ministry is vital to fulfilling this mission as well as cultivating a love for children and children’s ministry. We are blessed to have our awesome Children and Kids lead – Sarah Vigers – as part of our staff team and she is doing an amazing job of this (especially through the current lockdown!) and we have seen GPC kids average around 35 – 45 kids each Sunday. We really value Children at GPC because they continue to help us remain vibrant, engaging, and challenge us on how to remain relevant to the next generation. Our big challenge is to ensure that they feel connected and a part of the wider GPC community and transition well from pre-school, primary, high-school and onwards to ensure we cultivate a multi-generational local church. KRIS AND BECKY HEALE
Glendowie Presbyterian Church
JANUARY 2022 11
communicating
INTERGENERATIONALLY NIGEL WINDER | SUNZ Children & Families Consultant
H
ow we communicate is directly related to our core values and understanding of our audience.
If you value all ages and see all people, despite their age, as authentic and equally valid members of God’s family, you won’t want to exclude anyone by the way you communicate God’s truth. If you are committed to helping the church be more together across the ages and less apart, then taking a moment to reflect on your communication style is worthwhile. What assumptions, attitudes and postures guide you? This year, a number of children’s ministry practitioners in NZ attended “Intergenerate Conference Australia” held online. David Csinos, a theologian from Canada, shared eight hallmarks of intergenerational preaching. While David was predominately referring to teaching and preaching intergenerationally,
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we think these hallmarks need to be infused in our thinking and practice wherever and whenever we are communicating with a variety of ages present. David makes the point that you are involved in intergenerational preaching whether you stand in the pulpit or not. Everyone is involved.
"
IF YOU ARE COMMITTED TO HELPING THE CHURCH BE MORE TOGETHER ACROSS THE AGES AND LESS APART, THEN TAKING A MOMENT TO REFLECT ON YOUR COMMUNICATION STYLE IS WORTHWHILE.
Here is a summary of eight things to be guided by when communicating.
1
The gospel is for everyone.
No one should be excluded from the proclamation of the gospel. Children and young people are included as full members and pilgrims and have important contributions to make in proclaiming the gospel. They are equal and valid participants in congregations. All voices are welcome around the table and are valued. Start with simple everyday words. Pay close attention to the language we are using. Religious language needs to be explained due to a rise in Christian language illiteracy. Language needs to be comprehensible by everyone. This doesn’t mean dumbing down deeper and more complex ideas. Don’t simplify the concepts, just the language.
2
3
Mutual formation.
In Acts, Peter had to learn that God had destroyed the barriers of exclusion between Jewish and Gentile Christians. Through dialogue, we all become teachers and learners no matter our age, informing each other as we walk arm-in-arm on the discipleship journey. We form and inform each other together without excluding any age groups or relying merely on the expert up front. Durable scriptures. Centre on the Bible, connecting it with how we see God working in the world. The Bible is not a weapon of coercion. Engage, wrestle, question, explore. The Bible is rugged, durable and can cope with our questioning and grappling.
4
De facto diversity. There are so many ways to engage with all that is contained in the pages of the Bible. Make room for the Good News to be heard by people of all ages and walks of life and traditions. Preach with an awareness of your audience and their backgrounds and connection points with biblical stories. Use a variety of methods.
5
6
Experiential Participation. Encourage participation where the audience makes active meaning from the sermon message. Active listening and learning are a participation process, leaving space for others to contribute. Infused Creativity. Being exposed to new ideas and evaluating them against our assumptions and previous experiences allows space and opportunity for God to work and change us. God is creative and asks us to join Him in the process of creatively proclaiming the Gospel.
7
One Spirit for all. At Pentecost we are witness to the miracle of the ear. Everyone heard the gospel in their own language. God gave the crowd the ability to hear the gospel. The same Spirit gives all ages in an intergenerational context the ability to hear the gospel.
8
From these hallmarks, it becomes obvious that when we are intentional in our intergenerational practice, everyone benefits. That is the point really. Creative, biblically focused, spirit-filled communication that acknowledges the gospel is for everyone and speaks into our context can transform us no matter our age. How miraculous and powerful that is when we are all sharing and participating in that experience together.
JANUARY 2022 13
NIGEL WINDER | SUNZ Children & Families Consultant
T
here is a lot to wonder about in our world at the moment. In challenging times and with plenty of uncertainty, we tend to be more open to wondering about God. I wonder what He is thinking? I wonder what He is doing? I wonder what life is really about? I wonder whether God is real? I wonder what He thinks about me? This year our SUPAkidz Camps for senior primary-aged children have been using the Scripture Union holiday programme resource Wonder Zone. The programme takes a scientific approach to observing the world around us and beyond, to discover more of the God of the Bible. Alongside leaders sharing their faith stories, the campers enjoyed video testimonies from real scientists whose faith has been strengthened by the things they are discovering, and also how their faith informs their work. There was something for everyone in the programme. We covered Solomon’s search for wisdom, the declaration of the Psalmists amazement of God’s creative flare, Jesus as the “Light of the world,” and the story of the Lost Son. Daily experiments, songs, memory verses, crafts, games and deeper Bible exploration using our Lab Books helped us to discover that God, while being the Creator of everything good that exits, wants us to know Him by believing and trusting in Jesus.
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Here are some things that kids from the Southland SUPAkidz Camp — Wonder Zone, told us they learned about God. · ‘He knows me personally.’ · ‘He is faster than light.’ · ‘He did not programme us like robots.’ · ‘If you pray, He instantly listens.’ · ‘He gives us choices.’ · ‘He takes all your sins away.’ · ‘Jesus could do lots of miracles and He is God.’ · ‘He is super powerful.’ · ‘He sent His own son to die for us.’ It is refreshing through this resource to see the way faith and science complement each other, helping us discover the wonder of the world we live in and the wonder of God. The Wonder Zone holiday programme resource and supporting materials are available from SUNZ online store on our website.
JAN
22
Welcome! Check out our ideas! Pull it out! & pass it around
BACK TO SCHOOL? As you are reading this, no doubt certain shops are advertising ‘Back to School’ sales for stationery, shoes and various other school-related supplies. As the beginning of the school year looms, I wonder what range of emotions are in your household? Ordinarily, perhaps you, as a parent, have looked forward to your children returning to school and your household to its usual routine. Your children, on the other hand, may be enjoying the sun, the sand and the surf too much to be wanting school as much as you. Throw in Covid-19, lockdowns, vaccinations, masks, 2-metre distancing and Traffic Lights, and it feels like there is so much more to navigate this time around. How do we help our children head back to school in a healthy way, and how do we let them go in a way that is healthy for us? These are big questions. In this edition of the WAY2GO magazine we will look at some prayer ideas for your church and your home to help you and your children in their return to school.
___ Liz Eichler Children and Families Team Leader, SUNZ
Pray
AT HOME
You will need: access to the internet, a large piece of paper, strips of paper, felt pens, a stapler
Listen Listen to and/or watch 'The Blessing Aotearoa' on YouTube.
Talk together What words stuck out for you? Using the felt pens, write these words on the large piece of paper. Add illustrations if you like. Each person choose some words or phrases they like and write them on strips of paper and use the stapler to link the strips together to form a chain. You could make individual prayer chains or one chain for the whole family. Display the large piece of paper where everyone can see it, on your fridge or the back of your front door.
Ask How can these words help us as we head back to school this week?
Pray Use these words from the Bible as your closing prayer: “The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace. (Numbers 6:24-26 NIV)
You could also pray these words over your children each night.
Pray As a church it is good to acknowledge that our children and young people are heading back to school. Here are some ideas for you to use: 1. Find out from the children and young people what school they’re at and what year they’re in. If you do this ahead of Sunday you could present this information on a map of your town/city, or on PowerPoint. Pray for the range of schools and year groups represented in your church. 2. Interview some school students, making sure you have a range of ages, about their hopes and their fears for the coming school year. Pray for them and all students in your church. 3. With a backpack containing the following items – a pencil case, lunch box, drink bottle, sunhat, reading book – talk about each item representing different aspects of school. Eg: • Pencil case – learning and creativity • Lunch box – social times • Drink bottle – brain fuel
AT CHURCH • Sunhat – fun times outside and sports • Reading book – an invitation to dream
Comment that just as your backpack is your constant companion at school, so Jesus is with us always. 4. A prayer to remind us all that God is always with us, based on St Patrick’s Prayer : Christ be with me, Christ be within me, Christ behind me, Christ before me, Christ beside me, Christ to win me, Christ to comfort and restore me. Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ in quiet, Christ in danger, Christ in hearts of all that love me, Christ in face of friend or stranger.
You could make up some actions to go with this prayer (from Common Prayer for Children and Families, Gamber & Seamans, 2019)
ARE YOU OUR NEXT WELLINGTON CHILDREN & FAMILIES CONSULTANT?
Now that Liz Eichler has moved into the Children and Families Team Leader role, we need a new Children and Families Consultant for Wellington. This is a fulltime position with immediate start. If you have experience in Children and Families ministry and want to take the next step in your ministry journey, we’d like to hear from you. For a job description and more information, please contact Liz at liz.e@sunz.org.nz.
Resources
$250
This is a poetic retelling of why Jesus died, how he rose from the dead and how he did it all for us. It features stunning line illustrations for children to colour in while reflecting on the words.
$28
This 15-door calendar is like an advent calendar and means kids can count down to Easter Sunday. Children aged 5-8 will learn why Jesus died and rose again, and why that’s the best news ever.
Both available via our shop website sunz.org.nz/shop
Looking for more resources and inspiration? Check out our website and blog
sunzbreakthrough.org.nz | childrenandfamiliesnz.blogspot.com
Scripture Union wants to work with your church to create opportunities for children and young people to discover and follow Jesus, grow as leaders, and influence the world. Contact us and let us know how we can help you.
SCRIPTURE UNION IN NEW ZEALAND
PO Box 760, Wellington 6140 way2go@sunz.org.nz 0508 423 836 sunz.org.nz
Meet the
CHILDREN & FAMILIES
TEAM
Liz Eichler — C&F Team Leader, Wellington
After six years as the Children and Families Consultant for the Wellington area, Liz was appointed to the Team Leader position mid-2021. Her role is to facilitate, support and develop the activities and capacity of the team, and to develop emerging opportunities. With the team, she advocates for the place of children’s ministry in New Zealand churches, offers high quality training for those working with children (e.g., WAY2GO children’s ministry conferences), and provides resources and tools to reach communities.
Nigel Winder — C&F Consultant, Invercargill
Nigel works with churches to help them, alongside families, build resilient and life-long faith in children and young people. Based in our Invercargill office, Nigel helps churches connect with the children in local schools and communities through SUPAkidz Clubs, holiday programme resourcing and camps. He also trains and equips children’s ministry leaders through annual WAY2GO conferences and other regional events.
Andrew Ramsbottom — C&F Consultant, Auckland
Andrew works with churches to see children and families encounter God through fun, exciting and challenging Bible interaction. He supports and trains children’s ministry leaders and helps churches explore intergenerational faith formation through connecting the generations when all ages are together. He is passionate about children’s camps and heads the children’s SUPAkidz Camps ministry. He is also very passionate about intergenerational camps.
Annette Osborne — C&F Consultant, Auckland
Annette works with churches to help them nurture the faith of their C&F through creative and innovative programmes. Annette helps facilitate the THRIVE programme, deliver training such as our WAY2GO Children’s Ministry Conferences, and coordinates the SUPAkidz Club programme in school and community. 40% of Annette’s time is as a Global Children’s Ministry Consultant for SU International.
Alison Davies — C&F Administration, Wellington
Alison works part-time to look after SUPAkidz Clubs, WAY2GO administration and anything else sent her way! JANUARY 2022 19
DELVING DEEPER
WITH CHILDREN’S BIBLE ENGAGEMENT
ANDREW RAMSBOTTOM | SUNZ Children & Families Consultant
I
magine you have been read or told a story. An exciting story, with lots of action and twists and turns. The main character in the story appears to be a little hard done by, but eventually comes out on top. However, five years later, on reading the story for yourself, you discover that the original story that you heard (and have retold and love), was actually only half the story. Two chapters in a four-chapter story were left out. As a result of this, the main characters and some of the reasons for the story being told have been misrepresented. When this happens to an adult, they usually adapt and move on. However, when this happens to children, it can have a detrimental impact on their faith development. A case in point is the book of Jonah. The Bible Project had this to say about the story of Jonah in one of their recent podcasts1: ‘religious media, specifically Christian media 1 https://bibleproject.com/podcast/our-assumptionsabout-jonah/
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has already reached the world over with the story of Jonah in creative and sometimes unfortunate ways… the book of Jonah exists in the popular imagination, before the actual story that comes from the Bible has ever connected with people.’ The same is also true of a lot of the Bible. So, how do we engage children with the Bible with integrity for their faith development? We need to raise our expectations of what children are able to deal with when it comes to Scripture, God’s Word. Children’s minds work like sponges, so we need to get it right the first time. Tell children as much of the story as we can so that, as they grow in faith, they don’t have to have the story adjusted. Certainly, there are some sexual and violent incidents in Scripture that would not be appropriate to share with children. But we need to think very, very carefully about those we would leave out and why we would leave them out. We should stay as close to the full text of the Bible narrative as we possibly can because faith is lived out in the real world and the real world is not always kind.
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WE NEED TO RAISE OUR EXPECTATIONS OF WHAT CHILDREN ARE ABLE TO DEAL WITH WHEN IT COMES TO SCRIPTURE, GOD’S WORD.
Each Bible story is part of God’s big story, so providing context is very important when exploring Scripture with children. How do we do this? • Show them where the story fits in the timeline of Scripture. • Connect the story or characters in the story to other stories or characters in the Bible. • Use a map and show where the story takes place and some of the journeys between places. • Help children to explore the culture of the time by using visual aids to explain how our culture is different to the culture of the Bible. • Have some books that children can look at as well as hands-on items that they can explore — dress ups are great for this. We need to resist feeling we always have to have a teaching point when we explore the Bible narrative with children. The Bible story or narrative stands on its own. Children don’t have to understand or know why the story was
written when they hear it for the first time. They should be allowed, with careful guidance, to explore that for themselves as they grow in faith. One of the easiest ways to do this is to encourage children to ask questions about the stories or to have questions to help them think about what is happening in the story. What do they think characters, including God, were experiencing in the story and why that might be important? If this sort of Bible engagement can be done in an intergenerational context, then Bible engagement with children can be an even richer experience for both the children and the other generations involved. As you work with children, remember that you are on a journey with them. Most times you do not need to teach them. They just need you to be there with them and prepare them for knowing God better and living out faith in the world they inhabit.
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ANNETTE OSBORNE | SUNZ Children & Families Consultant
At the beginning of 2021 Scripture Union NZ (SUNZ) launched Thrive, a new resource to help the church think through faith formation with children and young people. Thrive has been a really effective way to help churches look at what is important as they move forward into a ‘new normal’ with the changes that COVID-19 has bought here in New Zealand. Over the course of the year, we have walked alongside a small number of churches, supporting them to create a workable plan and to begin to put it into action. We began by bringing the whole church together to look at the eight important strategies for faith formation. From this, we have guided each church to prioritise two or more key areas to work on, with resourcing and training as required. SUNZ has been able to provide ongoing support and encouragement, acknowledging that keeping momentum going in a Covid world can be a challenge. Here is what one church leader had to say: “I’d like to thank you profusely for the very meaningful workshop you provided... I’ve met with the leadership last week and have their blessing to proceed with a
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working group tasked with incorporating strategies from Thrive for this year. [This group] all have unique gifts that I hope will make us a dynamic and cohesive group for change.” Faith formation is not primarily about numbers. It is not measured by how many seats are full on a Sunday morning. But we do know from statistics and anecdotal evidence that an increasing number of children and young people are disengaging from church, and we want to see this trend turned around. We long to see healthy churches, where children, young people and their families are thriving in their faith. We would love to talk with your church about THRIVE, and how we can best support you and your community with the faith formation of your children and young people. ____ We have limited spaces available for 2022. Contact liz.e@sunz.org.nz now to find out more.
Thriving faith! That is our vision for the children, young people and families of Aotearoa. Scripture Union New Zealand is offering to journey with your church over a year to address this challenge. We will facilitate a whole church consultation, and support you to develop a strategy for the future. Our desire is to see healthy churches, where people of all ages thrive in their faith!
CONSULTATION FACILITATION PLAN DEVELOPMENT ONGOING SUPPORT
For more information please visit www.sunz.org.nz/thrive explore more about how THRIVE can help your church.
Light
for the path ANNIE ASHTON | SUPAkidz Camp Leader
S
omething that God has been reminding me recently is to remember what He has done. The importance of doing this is highlighted within Mark 8:1-21. The start of this chapter describes the scene of Jesus feeding a crowd of 4000 people with seven loaves of bread and a few small fish. This is a classic Sunday School sermon which I heard several times growing up. I thought it was amazing – especially the fact that there were seven leftover baskets of food. However, what I didn’t know is that immediately after this event the disciples began to doubt Jesus again. When they got onto a boat with Jesus, the disciples began to argue because they did not bring enough bread. Jesus says to them, “Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Are your hearts hardened? Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? And don’t you remember?” Jesus then reminds them of the times he has provided for his people. I think it’s easy for us to judge the disciples in this story – how could they not have faith after the miracles they had witnessed?
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However, when I reflect on my life, I realize that I often act like the disciples did. Since I left high school, I have been faced with the pressure of choosing what to study and what jobs to apply for. This process can be very overwhelming, and I often found myself worrying. When I have remembered to give my concerns to God, He has reminded me that He is in control and will provide for me. He reminds me to remember what He has done and what He is capable of doing. There are two key things I take away from Mark 8. The first is that Jesus performed a miracle because He cared for His people. Remembering that God knows our needs before we ask and that He cares for us is so important. The second is that Jesus gave the people more than they needed; the people had leftovers! God doesn’t bless us to the point where we can just ‘scrape by.’ He gives us more than enough. I encourage you to take a moment to remember what God has done in your life. Try to remember a time He gave you more than you expected.
Meet
ANNIE Kia ora tatau. Ko Rimutaka te maunga. Ko Te Awa Kairangi te awa. Nō Awakairangi ahau. Ko Ashton tōku whānau. Ko Annie tōku ingoa.
We asked Annie, this month’s writer for Light for the Path, to introduce herself to you. Here’s what she had to say: My name is Annie, I am 20 years old, and I have just completed my degree in Education and Development Studies at Victoria University of Wellington. I am now working in policy at the Ministry of Education. In my spare time I enjoy going for bike rides with my dad, cooking plant-based foods, and hanging out with my adorable dog Alfie. I grew up in Lower Hutt and was raised by a Christian family. I have been immersed in Christianity my whole life; my parents enrolled me in a Christian primary school and have always encouraged me to attend church. Although at times I have doubted God and I still have many questions about Him, I couldn’t imagine my life without my faith. I started leading on the Wellington SUPAkidz camp in 2018 after a friend asked if I could help out. I really enjoyed doing this and have continued leading each year since. I always come away feeling very tired but very inspired. Although I never attended a Scripture Union camp growing up, I attended church camps and Easter camps, and I benefited from these greatly. Camps are so special, and I love seeing how God uses them. I’m currently participating in the Beyond Experience programme, and I’m super lucky to have Hilary as my mentor. I attend the night service at the Street Church in Wellington. I started going to this church about a year ago and absolutely love it. It is filled with university students and young adults – it’s a great community to be a part of.
JANUARY 2022 25
OUT & ABOUT HILARY HAGUE
Much of the time since the last Adventure has been a time of uncertainty and adjustment because of Covid-19. Yet, in spite of the continual change, we have worked hard and creatively to maintain our vision to help children and young people discover Jesus and become lifelong disciples who serve the world around them. In November we joined the SU International Global Week of Prayer which was a great opportunity to meet and pray with others with the same passion and ministry as us.
AUCKLAND keeps on keeping on
With the alert level changes, our staff have spent significant proportions of time working from home but ministry has continued. In November, the team ran a very successful evening on Zoom to let people know about the summer camps and to pray for them. We are in the middle of our summer camps season now and if you would like to know more about these, they are on our web site www.sunz.org.nz. We are delighted to welcome Emma Beckett to the staff team in Auckland. Emma is working in our leadership development programme with Paul Humphreys.
TAURANGA Prayer Group
We pass on thanks and pray God’s blessing for Denise and David James as they step back from hosting the Tauranga prayer group, and welcome Keith and Fran Overend who are picking up this responsibility in the New Year. Keith has a long history with our groups and camps, and came from a teaching background to lead SUNZ children’s ministries in 1973.
HOLIDAY AT RUAPEHU
Just a reminder about Adventure Lodge. If you’d like to hire this for a holiday for your church or family, check on our website or ring us. Summer or winter, it’s a great place to stay with lots to do and staying there has the added advantage of helping Scripture Union at the same time.
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LIZ AND HILARY
visit the Manawatu
Liz Eichler and I visited Palmerston North in late October and Liz held a children’s ministry evening for a church which had hoped to be at WAY2GO. It was a good time to catch up with a wide variety of Scripture Union people around the Manawatu and we had a lovely time. Scripture Union is made up of such quality people.
WELLINGTON Lots going on
We are pleased to welcome Donna Beech to the role of Camps Administrator. Donna will be working out of the Wellington office. We are currently looking for a new Children and Families Consultant to replace Liz Eichler who has moved into the Team Leader’s role. If this sounds like you or you know someone let us know.
THE TOP OF THE SOUTH
In October I went to Nelson for a visit and a catch up with people. It was a good time and a wonderful chance to catch up with a variety of people who are part of Scripture Union. In October, we had a camp in Momorangi Bay (out of Picton) with wonderful feedback about the camp and leaders, including a “best ever” rating from a camper who comes to about three camps a year!
DUNEDIN
The Regional Committee in Dunedin held a very successful evening for Scripture Union supporters in November. It was a good time and a great opportunity to hear about SUNZ ministries. Lizzie Moore spoke at a local church about certainty amongst uncertainty. There was a powerful response from the young people with some asking for prayer afterwards.
GORE
Hilary, Nigel and Lizzie caught up with a group of SUNZ supporters in a café in Gore on their way through to Invercargill. Nice people, nice coffee!
SOUTHLAND/OTAGO
Nigel Winder held another SUPAkidz camp in October. It was great to see such a large number of children enjoying themselves and growing in their faith. It was also good to see people who had been at the camp as children in previous years and were now attending as leaders. One leader came from Exodus Prime, our leadership development programme for teenagers. We had another successful catch up with supporters as well. JANUARY 2022 27
‘Jesus called the children to him and said, "Let the children come to me and do not stop them, because the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these.”’ Luke 18:16
Join with us in sharing the good news of Jesus with children and young people across New Zealand. Your gift could change a life forever.
Sunz.org.nz/donate
Did you know 80% of our overall funding and 100% of our ministry staff’s funding comes from donations? Please consider giving a gift today – you can change the lives of children and young people as they discover Jesus and grow in faith.
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You can also donate a one-off gift through your bank by direct deposit to account number 02-0560-0036204-00 quoting ‘ADVmag’, plus your supporter number (if known) or surname and postcode in the reference. If this is your first gift to SUNZ please email accounts@sunz.org.nz with the details of your donation – this enables us to thank you and send you a tax receipt. Or donate online at sunz.org.nz/ADVdonate or by calling 0508 423 836 Please post your completed form to Scripture Union New Zealand, PO Box 760, Wellington 6140
Thank you!
G COMIN TO A N REGIO NEAR YOU!!
To nurture a child’s connection with God, we need to put the FIRST THINGS FIRST. But what are these?
We will focus on this important question as we explore together the importance of prioritising a deep faith, grounded in the Bible and prayer. We will look at how the church can encourage lifelong faith in children and their families. for more info check out www.sunz.org.nz
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PO BOX 760, Wellington 6140 | 0508 423 836 | info@sunz.org.nz He rama ta-u kupu ki o-ku waewae | Your word is a lamp to my feet. Psalm 119:105 SUNZ is a member of the Scripture Union International Family
