Year of the Child 2009
www.yearofthechild2009.co.uk

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Many places are coming up with great ideas of ways to celebrate the upcoming Year of the Child 2009 - here are some to get you thinking about what you might do!

Blackburn Diocese: 
Here are some suggestions for ways in which you could celebrate the Year of the Child: 

  1. Have a Family Day
  2. Develop a new children's and family group such as 'Messy Church'
  3. Explore the possibilities of a community family day
  4. Link with the local school for an event
  5. Create a special act of worship led by children
  6. Fill the church with children's artwork for a Children's Festival
  7. Meet together as families for a day out and a picnic
  8. Ask the children to suggest something they would like to do
  9. Create a special children's banner
  10. Welcome new families by having a children's entertainer for an afternoon

Durham Diocese

  1. Sanctuary -- children's services in the cathedral for ages 5 to 11 years
  2. School leavers services for year 6
  3. Reintroduction of Go Large youth events in Durham Cathedral

 Monmouth Diocese

  1. Strawberry party with the Bishop, on the bishops lawn
  2. Song Bingo

Swansea and Brecon Diocese

  1. Cathedral day to meet the new Bishop

Chichester Diocese

  1. Academic conference

'CHANGING CHILDHOOD' CONFERENCE 2 - 4 JULY 2009

University of Chichester

Our rationale:

The Youth and Children’s Work Dept of the diocese of Chichester is running a conference 2 – 4 July 2009 in collaboration with the University of Chichester.

2009 marks the 30th anniversary of the UN International Year of the Child and the 50th anniversary of the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of the Child.

With so much discussion in the media over the last five years on issues concerning childhood e.g. Every Child Matters - Change For Children; The Good Childhood Inquiry by the Children’s Society and UN Report on Children’s Well-being in Europe, this conference is timely.

Changing Childhood

Bath and Wells (also 1100th anniversary of the diocese)

  1. January -- exhibition of all sorts of stuff in the cathedral
  2. July -- big Day out at Glastonbury
  3. October -- children's Festival

Manchester Diocese

  1. Child Friendly Church Awards Scheme
  2. Good Practice in Children's Work pack
  3. Bishop Certificate in Children's Ministry

To get 1 you have to adopt 2, adopting 2 involves introducing 3!

 

Wakefield Diocese 

In the run up to YOTC09 the diocesan children's and youth work team are taking the opportunity to listen to the voices of children and young people, with a number of packs available to help discover the needs and aspirations of young people today, under the banner "Transforming lives Transforming Communities"!

Richard Burge and the team are inviting churches in the diocese, alongside the children and young people to be part of Year of The Child 2009, starting with these little booklets .

It is a chance to listen, to celebrate and to be challenged by the insight of the children and young people who are part of the church, so that we can learn and move forward together.

"We hope that by listening to the children and young people the church can learn and develop so that we can be ready to serve God faithfully now and into the future".

The first two packs are available now: My Community and My School are great little booklets that ask searching questions. The 5th booklet is now being devised and will be added to the web site all in good time. Take a look at: http://www.wakefield.anglican.org/support/childrenandyouth/index.htm

Peterborough Diocese

To recognise the 30 years that have passed since the first Year of the Child, Peterborough Diocese have issued 30 ideas to start you thinking about what you could do to mark the year in your church: Here are just a few of those ideas, Click on the PDF link for all 30. 30 Ideas PDF

 

1        Arrange for the needs of children, and those who work with and for them, to be included in the intercessions every week in 2009

2        Find a way to celebrate all those who work with children – teachers, children’s workers, nurses and GPs, social workers, librarians, family therapists, family lawyers…  Gift?  Celebration meal?  Special service?

3        Give children a ‘voice’ within the church.  Ask for their views on worship, fellowship, teaching – and promise to see if they can be put into practice

4        Ensure that children and young people’s work is discussed at every parochial church council meeting

5        Arrange for children and young people to attend a pcc meeting to discuss matters of mutual interest – this may mean holding the meeting at a weekend or earlier in the evening

6        Make a donation of books to your local school(s).  Speaking Volumes is an organisation which provides discounts on Christian books for donation to schools:  http://www.christianbookpromotions.org.uk

7        Enable children to lead worship both for their peers and for adults – release them from just handing out the hymnbooks and taking the collection

8        Have a Changing Places Day where the children stay in church and the adults go out to wherever the children usually meet

9        Sponsor a child through World Vision, Smile International or a similar organisation

10      Have an all-age activity session planned and led by children and adults of all ages

Also:  Some bonus ideas from Rona Orme Children's Missioner for Peterborough Diocese :

Fund a visit from the Rhema Theatre Company http://www.rhemaschools.org/index.cfm?site=schools  

or a Barnabas RE day  http://www.barnabasinschools.org.uk/

or even the recording of a pop cd with http://www.popconnection.co.uk/ for your local primary school.  These organisations are great if your church lacks people to work regularly with children but is willing to pay for mission in the broader sense.

 

Diocesan event for leaders and volunteers:

 There will be a major one day event for everyone who works with children on Saturday 9 May 2009  10-4pm at  All Saints’ School, Northampton NN2 7AJ with the amazing Lucy Moore, the originator of Messy Church, as the keynote speaker.  Book the date in your diary now and then look out for further details as they are planned!  We hope to welcome 200+ of you to this exciting event. The more who attend, the better it will be!

To keep in touch with news and events in the Peterborough Diocese go to:

http://www.peterborough-diocese.org.uk/index.htm

 

Norwich Youth are planning:

YOUTH WEBSITE PROJECT

One project the Diocesan Youth Task Force hopes to develop is a web based youth forum to improve communication between young people across Norfolk. Charlotte, a CEYC member for the Diocese, is promoting and heading this up, with YTF and the Communications Team.  An application for a grant from the Youth Evangelism Fund has been made to support the project.

Young people aged 14-20 are being sought in the Norwich Diocese to help with the development and maintenance of the website.

Interested?  Then contact:

Tricia Elson, Youth & Children’s Administrator,

The Horstead Centre,

Rectory Road, Horstead, Norwich

NR9 5ES

01603 266316

 

tricia.elson@horsteadcentre.org.uk