Junior Church

Junior Church

Junior Church is available for children from 3 years and upwards, with a crèche for babies and toddlers, in Church House, Old Church Lane, Stanmore.   Age appropriate material is used. 

On the first Sunday of the month there is an All Age Parish Communion and the children take a small part in the service, helping with the giving out of books as people come in and in the offertory.  At the time of the Communion a child helps in the distribution of bread and grapes for the children so they can share in the Eucharist.

Junior Church also attends the whole service on special occasions like Harvest, Christmas, Mothering Sunday and at Easter.  The children take part in the services with presentations and singing prepared beforehand, occasionally using our percussion instruments, notably at Easter and on Dedication Festival.

On the other Sundays in the month we meet in Church House in our appropriate age groups for story time, craft and worship.  During their time in Church House the children are currently following the Searchlights course – Candles for the 3-7 and Lamps for the 8+ group.  These interact with the lessons being read in the Parish Communion

We begin with a warm up activity, usually a game or a sharing activity before coming together for the lighting of the candle, the offering and the prayers.  We also acknowledge birthdays at this point.  When we are ready Storyteller then tells our Bible story for the day and then the children move to the tables for a craft activity related to what they have just heard.

At the end of the session we come together for singing of choruses and action songs before go over to church to join the main congregation for communion, the children receiving a blessing.

Junior Church is staffed by CRB checked leaders and helpers in accordance with Diocesan guidelines.

For more information contact the Parish Office at   parish@stjohnstanmore.org.uk or by telephone on 020 8954 7064.

Bev and Phyllis are the main contacts for Junior Church

Each parish is required to appoint a children’s advocate and at present Jenny Gurdon.(8429 8154) holds this position. She is required to see that the question ‘how does this impact on our children?’ is always asked. and she should try to keep alive a general awareness of child protection issues. Should she be made aware of concerns about a child she should see that the guidelines set out by the Diocese are always followed.