*NEW* Sparklers Parents and Toddler Group
I'm excited to let you know that we are going to be launching a brand-new parents and toddlers group in Windsor – ‘Sparklers’. It will be running on Tuesday mornings at the church, starting on 8th February. Open to all parents and toddlers (aged 0-5) in the local community.
There will be plenty of toys, craft activities, and FUN! Each week there will be an interactive Bible story, including costumes, action songs and more! Refreshments for both mums and tots will be provided. Read on to find out more…
When and where will it be?
• 9.30-11am on Tuesdays.
• At the Kerith Windsor church building in the kids’ rooms.
• First date: 8th February 2022
• Following dates: Feb 15, Mar 1, Mar 8, Mar 15, Mar 22, Mar 29 and April 5 (breaks during half term and school holidays)
Who’s running it?
The wonderful Phil & Vivienne Ely will be heading up Sparklers. Phil & Viv are part of Kerith Windsor church and run a life group. Vivienne has been running mums and toddler groups for the last 20 years, and Phil has been helping out over the last 5 years. In their spare time, they run ‘Open the Book’, which acts out Bible stories to local primary school kids. So they have plenty of experience!
Here’s more from them…
“We have developed a good formula to make it fun, active and evangelistic. A regular schedule will start with seating all the carers around the perimeter of the room with plenty of coffee on hand, cakes and biscuits. The children are free to play in the centre of the room with the many activities displayed and mats ready on all activities which are climbable such as the slide, seesaw, and trampoline.
After the first hour of play, the toys are put to one side and the mats are left for all the children to sit on with drinks supplied in toddler cups and cut up fruit as refreshments. They are then entertained with a short bible story acted out with costumes and then they are all encouraged to join in action songs, nursery rhymes and simple Christian songs. We end with plenty of opportunities to invite new families to join us on Sundays and of course they get to know the church families who attend as well. In our last mum and toddler group poorer families frequently came and those of ethnic background who needed to find ways of mixing in the local community.
The main purpose of the group is to serve the local community with an active, fun mum and toddler group, an opportunity to share the gospel with both children and adults and to give them a generous warm welcome to the Kerith community church.”
We’d really like to back Phil & Vivienne as they start this fantastic group. If you’re a parent with a toddler and you’re looking for a group to join, it would be amazing to see you there. But also, if you know any other local parents, please do invite them along! Think about who you can tell about Sparklers – friends, neighbours, mums at the school gate.
We have printed out some fliers for Sparklers. Please do take some on Sunday and hand them out to people you know.
Our hope is that we become a Church that would bless the local community in such a way that they would know If we were to cease to exist. And our prayer is that this is the start of some peoples journey to coming to know Jesus.
How can you support?
If you are part of kerith and have a toddler please come down and make the people that visit feel really welcome.
We’d love your old toys!
Phil and Viv already have some toys but welcome donations of a few more toys and children’s items. In particular, they are looking for:
- Ride-on toys
- Garage with ramps to run small cars on
- Soft toys
- Plastic cutters and small rolling pins for play doh
- Toddler aprons
- Toddler chairs (preferably in white wood)
If you have toys that you no longer need and are happy to donate them, you can bring them in on a Sunday or you can contact Vivienne by email at: vively1@googlemail.com. We’d really appreciate if the toys are in good condition and cleaned before you give them in. Thank you so much for your generosity!
Tickets arr £1.50 per family and can be booked weekly via the what's on page: https://kerith.churchsuite.com/events/ebsvwip4
Let’s be praying for the group, and for Phil and Viv as they lead.
Leon