could i just ask

[imback]

what do your regular churches offer children when the schools are on holiday. ours tends to just empty because younger people with children don;t bother comming if there is no sunday school. do any of yours have childrens corners, any imput would be great. thanks x

We have a children's corner, with books, colouring materials and a few wooden toys (Noah's ark, child's nativity set, that sort of thing).

My children nearly always come with me, whether there is Sunday school or not.

reason being, it was bought up recently I am of the same thinking as you but people seem to want the children in a separate room or in sunday school as they would be to noisy. this is my sort of survey so i can go back and state my case a little better. thanx

My response to that is Jesus said to let the little children come to him, but there was no clause that said "only if they're quiet though".

In my experience (our Sunday club has been going since Nov last year), those that have been going to Sunday club and coming in at the end for the last bit of the service (except for once a month family service, when they're there the whole service), have also learnt to sit quietly when they're there for a whole service.

Our church has normal Sunday Club during Easter and Christmas holidays, and in the summer our Children's Pastor (we are VERY lucky, we have a PT Pastor dedicated to the Primary age kids) oragnises a huge squad of volunteers to give the regular leaders a few weeks off, but the clubs run as usual. They have more 'all-age' kids events, like Kids Worship in the hall, and a couple of all age services over the summer. But most parents dont notice much difference, except that each family offers a shift in the children's club group over the summer.

As our pastor said, God doesnt go on holiday over the summer! So why should the children be deprived? But we are a large and very keen church, so thats probably why it works.