Few Children, Great Opportunities contains 12 ready-to-use thematic sessions exploring the character of God through the model we see in Jesus.
The programme is ideal for church-based children's work where there are small numbers of children and an age range from 3 to 11 years. Because a small number of children with a mixed age range also defines many families, the material can be adapted for home use by families who want to spend time growing in faith together.
The sessions are non-sequential and can be used in any order whilst still building on each other. The material seeks to engage head, heart and hands by giving several ways to tell a Bible story using different learning styles; offering a variety of activities that help children to engage with the story; and including original songs, rhymes and chants as well as non-musical ways to worship God.
The format has the flexibility to be used in church-based groups lasting between 20 and 60 minutes or within a midweek club. Each session is structured in the same way and includes a story book activity to provide continuity, cohesion and recall, and a family follow-up sheet with ideas to encourage families to think about each characteristic at home together during the week.
The 12 characters of God explored in the programme include: love; faithfulness; patience; power; goodness; self-control; peace; trustworthiness; kindness; truthful; gentleness and joy. Ideal for small church-based children's groups.
--- ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Sue Price ---
Sue Price is the Director of the Children's and Family Ministry Conference. She has written a number of books including Guide to Tailored Teaching for 5-9s (Children Ministry, 2002) and contributed to curriculum programmes for 3-12s. Ruth Alliston has taught Sunday school in Salvation Army house churches and organised holiday clubs and camps. She is author of Children's Ministry Guide to Storytelling (Children Ministry, 2002) and has contributed to curriculum programmes for 3-9s.
--- ABOUT THE PUBLISHERS: Barnabas/BRF ---
BRF (The Bible Reading Fellowship) is a Christian charity started in January 1922 in a Brixton Anglican church. The vicar wanted to help his congregation to, in his words, 'get a move on spiritually'. He began to offer a monthly leaflet of daily Bible readings, linked to a midweek discussion group and encouraged them to pray for the parish. This so transformed the spiritual life of St Matthew's Church that, before long, other churches were asking for copies of the leaflets for their own congregations.
90 years later, Bible reading, prayer, spirituality and discipleship are still the three core strands of BRF's ministry, summarised in their statement of purpose: 'resourcing your spiritual journey'. At the heart of BRF's ministry is the desire to help children, adults and families explore Christianity and to grow in faith.