St. John the Evangelist

Coulsdon Parish Church - Old Coulsdon, Surrey

Children's and Youth Sunday Groups

A range of groups provide opportunities for children and young people to have their own time of learning and growing together. These mostly take place on Sunday mornings during Parish Communion services.

The groups are:

Around the age of 15 or 16, there is an opportunity to follow a course of confirmation preparation.

Crèche

A crèche is provided for the 9:30 a.m. Parish Communion in the Church Office by volunteer parents. Our aim is to provide somewhere for Pre-School children to stay while parents attend the first half of the service. On a rota, 2 or 3 helpers from a pool of 20 look after 2 to 9 children. During the "Peace" parents come back to the room to fetch their children so they can share the rest of the service including taking Communion together. There is obviously no regular attendance requirement and parents can use crèche facilities as and when they wish and are welcome to stay with the child at any time.

ROCK at St John’s

ROCK is the name for our work with primary school-age children and takes place in the Parish Hall on the 2nd and 4th Sundays of the month, while there is a communion service in church.

At ROCK the children are able to enjoy fun activities, dynamic worship, relevant bible teaching, and small groups where they can build relationships and make connections between the teaching and their own lives.

The values of ROCK are that it is relevant to children, the bible is taught creatively, small groups enable growth, it is safe and it is fun.

Children are dropped off at the hall from 9.20 onwards, and are brought to the church for collection after the morning service. It is important that they are signed in by the parent delivering, and by the same parent when collecting. A registration form should be completed before children can attend – this may be done at the door. All leaders are CRB checked and child protection procedures are followed carefully.

Quest

"Quest" is a Christian youth group which offers young people the opportunity to explore themes, issues and theories, relating both to Christianity and to their everyday lives. The leaders hope that through discussion, games, mime, dramas and Bible study they will foster an interest in Church activities and in Christianity and that the young people will wish to continue enjoying Christian fellowship throughout their teenage years.

Young people enter Quest in school year 7. The group meets in the Guide Hut behind Dormer Lodge (234 Coulsdon Road) at 9:30 a.m. When the meeting ends at 10:15 a.m. there is an opportunity to join in the last part of the Parish Communion in church. The group also provides readings and other activities for Youth Communion services which are held on the first Sunday of each month. Other irregular activities include an annual weekend away in the depths of the countryside, the summer barbecue and occasional trips out.

As the members mature in their spiritual, physical and emotional life the programme is intended to prepare them for adult life in the world and the Church. Opportunity is given to prepare for Confirmation.

TGI Sunday

TGI Sunday is about making a difference for God. It is intended to enable and encourage young Christians to keep going in the faith. It involves eating food, playing games, meeting with God, and learning from one another. It is for young people who are at least 14. It meets most Sunday evenings on a termly basis at 6.30 pm in Old Coulsdon Congregational Church.

Confirmation Preparation

For young people aged 15 or 16, this is run each year on Sunday evenings in the autumn using the Youth Alpha Course. For details, contact the Rector.