JUL
22
Welcome! Check out our ideas! Pull it out! & pass it around
PEAK EXPERIENCES I love going on camps. Always have. There’s something about getting away from your usual routines and environment. I look back on the camps I went on as a teenager, the friends I made and the significant times with God that were had both corporately and individually. They were formative faith times for me. These days, I must admit I also appreciate not having to think about meals or family schedules. It’s so great to just turn up to the dining hall and eat whatever’s on offer. Having directed so many camps in the past I’m also very happy for others to organise everything, and for me to just join in. Camps are peak experiences—times that you look back on as being significant. They are a highlight experience that give you the opportunity to encounter God in deep and life-changing ways. Camps are also one of the strategies for quality faith formation in our Thrive programme. In this edition of the WAY2GO magazine, we’ll look at the benefits of peak experiences when it comes to faith formation for our children and families, and how we can incorporate them into our planning.
___ Liz Eichler Children and Families Team Leader, SUNZ
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Pepaekriences Ex
A place where God meets you, stretches and inspires you ...and transformation happens.
A peak experience is a vital addition to the regular activities of our faith communities. In these situations, faith is deepened through a mixture of spending more time with people from your church, getting to know new people, the challenge of being in a different environment and the fun of being involved in a bigger or special event. A peak experience can be a planned event that becomes a wonderful and positive encounter with God. It can also be unplanned, a place where God shows up and something happens that grows and challenges you in your faith journey. They are often seen as a positive experience, but sometimes peak experiences also come out of challenges and even tragedy. Examples of Peak Experiences: weekend camps/retreats day camps/outings special events during the year e.g. Shrove Tuesday, Passover (Maundy Thursday), Matariki, Advent, Christmas, Epiphany special interest groups, e.g. tramping, surfing, go-karting, crafting...
onder... to p
What peak experiences can you take advantage of in your church or in your family?
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Anticipating, honouring and celebrating our 'rites of passage'. Acknowledging changes in our children’s lives can be significant and peak experiences in themselves. Many cultures are rich in significant events that acknowledge the rites of passage of a person within their community. We need to be more strategic and intentional for our children and young people and create spaces and anchors to help them as they grow and develop, and this is true for all ages and stages. What might this look like in our faith communities?
‘Celebration’ is the word, and here are some examples of events to celebrate: infant dedication/baptism starting pre-school/primary school/intermediate/high school moving from Children’s Church to Youth Group finishing high school and going on to... leaving home—to study, travel, go flatting… academic/sporting successes It’s important to find something to celebrate for every child.
onder... to p What faith-related rites of passage
could you offer your children and young people? What spaces and rituals could you put around these?
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WELCOME, ANDREA!
We are delighted to let you know that we have a new Wellington-based Children and Families Consultant. Welcome to Andrea Lukin! Andrea comes to us with a wealth of church-based ministry and experience in children’s ministry. We are very excited to have Andrea joining the team. She will start late July.
Resource Our WAY2GO Children’s Ministry Training Conferences have headed to the regions this year and are receiving very positive responses from all. Check out our website for more info on more events coming soon.
IT'S YOUR MOVE - MOU TE KAWE – YOUR GUIDE TO MOVING TO HIGH SCHOOL There are so many things to think of when moving to high school. It’s Your Move is a friendly guide to help young people make this transition. This booklet contains lots of helpful advice, together with stories about real people who have made the move.
$5
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.
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SCRIPTURE UNION IN NEW ZEALAND
PO Box 760, Wellington 6140 way2go@sunz.org.nz 0508 423 836 sunz.org.nz