Doing assemblies or RE lessons is a great way for churches to connect with pupils in local schools. But how do you then create opportunities for those children to explore faith and respond to Jesus without it involving a lot of extra work? Faith Guides and SU Local Mission Partners have discovered it can be easier than we might think.
One morning after Mary Butt had led an assembly, a boy came and asked for advice on a family situation. Mary, from LMP Groundbreakers, says, ‘He and I chatted, then the staff member who had stayed behind with me suggested it would be great to give all the pupils a similar opportunity. The Head agreed, and now I go out into the playground after assemblies so children can speak with me.
‘After I did an assembly on forgiveness, one girl came and asked, “Why should I forgive someone who has really upset me?” We talked about how we feel better when we forgive even if the other person doesn’t apologise and explored some ideas on how to put things right. I later discovered that she had been carrying this burden for two years!’
Making space for deeper conversations
Some Faith Guides have shared a Bible story in an assembly, then invited children to explore it more deeply at lunchtime or after school using SU’s free resource Story Explorers. One pupil later said, “I’ve never really been bothered about God, but it really made me think about him.”
In secondary schools, Faith Guides have used lunchtime or after school screenings of Shine Films (which SU helps to produce).
There are currently four series, each with three episodes that focus
on issues to which teenagers can relate, helping to spark discussion and opportunities to explore the difference that Jesus makes.
"ONE SMALL STEP – THAT’S ALL WE MIGHT NEED TO TAKE, SO THAT CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE CAN EXPLORE AND RESPOND TO JESUS AND DISCOVER HOW KNOWING HIM CAN CHANGE EVERYTHING."
