Holiday club mission

“OH, it’s all gone quiet at the back…”

There can be few of us of a certain age who don’t remember the singing on the bus as we were driven into the countryside to the Sunday School picnic.

The unbridled joy of finding yourself in a new place, usually with a beach nearby or a field to chase and race and generally just go mad for an afternoon in the sunshine and the freedom.

But do children today have the same experience of a church-led outing or camp?

Today, many churches have recognised the need to offer a wider community outreach for children during school holidays with a programme of activities and to engage with youngsters – and help hardpressed parents.

Portobello Church in Edinburgh has been involved in a summer club since 2015 and has a built in advantage – there’s a big beach nearby.

Michelle Brown, co-director of Portobello Holiday Club, says local churches use the summer holidays to join with other Christian denominations nearby to provide fun for the youngsters.

“Every July since 2015, we have held an ecumenical holiday club for a week in Portobello. Initially and for the first three years, we were guided by Scripture Union Scotland and after that we became independent. The club is run by six area churches: Portobello Baptist Church, Portobello and Joppa Parish Church (Church of Scotland), St John the Evangelist Roman Catholic Parish, St Mary Magdalene’s Roman Catholic Parish, St Mark’s Scottish Episcopal Church and Central Church Portobello Community,” Michelle says.

“Last year we met from July 16 to July 20, when 97 children and 14 youth helpers filled the halls at Portobello and Joppa Parish Church and the church and garden of St Mark’s. During the week, 51 volunteers took on various roles on the team. We were also supported by 18 additional volunteers who contributed baking, donated plants, helped with planning or registration, helped with training, managed our PVGs and safeguarding or helped with set up and clean up. We had an amazing team!

“During the week, the children participated in worship, games, breathing space (reflective prayer space), arts and crafts, bible study, teambuilding challenges, fun with food, table games, and gardening with a few extra surprises along the way. Our club ran from 9am to 12:30pm and we used the holiday club bible study material from Scripture Union called TeamBuilders. The children encountered stories from both the Old Testament and the New Testament that illustrated what it means to work together. Working through these stories helped the children explore the value of teamwork in life and as a community of people journeying with Jesus.

“As the week closed, the Holiday Club Garden at St Mark’s was fully updated with beautiful plants and more about the bible stories we learned during our week. Our Big Art Project for the week was displayed in the windows of Portobello Baptist Church Café on the High Street. The children decorated a piece of wood with words and collage materials to symbolise who they are and what talents and characteristics they bring to our team. Each piece of art was beautiful on its own, but then in the window display, all the art together made something even more beautiful.

“We are deep in the planning stages for Portobello Holiday Club this year, which will take place from July 22 to 26. We opened up registration the second week of March and were fully booked in less than two weeks without even having a chance to advertise the club. The club fills up now with returning families and new families who have heard about us from friends. Our core team of volunteers from the first summer are still with us and we welcome more and more adult volunteers and youth helpers to the team each year. It is an incredible ministry to watch grow in Portobello and just amazing to see all six churches working together to bring Bible stories and fun and encourage faith and community with families in our area.”

“We held our annual fundraiser at the Parents’ Event during the week. That summer we raised money for Portobello Beach Wheelchairs – encouraging access to the beach for all. This is a local charity, close to our hearts.”

Overtown Parish Church in the presbytery of Hamilton, is another church which runs a successful holiday club.

Susan Forbes, session clerk and one of the facilitators of the club, explained:

“Overtown Parish Church has held a holiday club for the last nine years.

“What started from humble beginnings now attracts approximately 50-60 children of primary school age along with 12 young leaders aged 12-16.

“Our holiday club not only serves our parish but we have great ecumenical relationships with other churches outwith the parish boundary.

“Over the years we have been pirates, spies, athletes, polar explorers, circus performers, scientists and space travellers.

“Last year we found ourselves in the jungle as our holiday club was Jungle Jamboree. We met the Watt family who had many adventures in the Wibble Wobble jungle. Rick Watt chose the wrong path but Grandma and Wendy chose the right path and followed the chief. Rick got caught by the Wobble Warriors. Eventually he was saved and the Watt family enjoyed their holiday on the Isle of Wibble Wobble.

“We heard about the good Samaritan, the Prodigal Son, the lost sheep and the story of the Talents.

“Every day there was a variety of crafts including making snakes, tigers, story wheels, sheep and big hugs to name but a few. There was also wall painting, construction corner and graffiti board.

It is an incredible ministry to watch grow in Portobello and just amazing to see all six churches working together to bring Bible stories and fun and encourage faith and community with families in our area.

“There were songs, challenges and games which gave us fast fun packed mornings. Everyone enjoyed snack time at the Rhino diner.

“The week culminated with a family barbecue and games on the Friday night which was enjoyed by all. The children also took part in the Sunday morning service. “The holiday club allows us to keep in touch with those children who do not regularly attend church but who come back to help at this time. Conversely we also welcome children on a Sunday morning who have attended holiday club.

“All told, the experience is one we would recommend to any church which has not yet held a summer holiday club as it is such a rewarding experience to share with the young people of our parish.”

Helensburgh Parish Church is another where a successful holiday club has been running for some time.

Elizabeth Lambert, Young Church leader there, says: “Helensburgh has run a Summer Holiday Club for the primary children and young teens locally, called Seaside Special for over 25 years organised by a group from several local churches and led by our Contraflow youth worker, last year we used the SU material Mega Makers. Holiday clubs are great for really getting to know the young people, building a strong team, getting everyone energised and excited about the Bible. It is especially good for training our young leaders, we have had a fantastic group of teens aged 14-18 years every year teaching songs, memory verse and leading games. We involved them in the training and allocate specific tasks to them so they can plan as a group how they want to lead them, it is wonderful to see them grow in confidence as leaders.

“As part of the holiday club week a highlight is the family night – a chance for the young people to show their families what they have been doing and perform the songs and memory verses they have learned. It’s a fun night playing games and getting to know the families.”

Rachel Cooney, Youth, Children and Families Outreach Worker at Gorgie Dalry Stenhouse Church, in Edinburgh, offered an insight into the church’s holiday club.

“We are very excited about our Seaside Jam summer Holiday Club!

“We hope it is as successful as last year’s.

“Last summer we welcomed around 40 children to ‘Jungle Jam!’

“We had children from P1 to P7 and some of our teenagers helped as Young Leaders. The children explored stories from the Bible, including the parables of the Great Feast, the Good Samaritan, the Prodigal Son, the Lost Sheep and the Talents.

“Each day the stories were shared through an interactive talk from one of the leaders using props and costumes. The children loved watching a drama, which included a friendly gorilla and some jungle explorers!

“We also had a special puppet show, which featured Jammy the monkey and Mr Elephant, introduced by our puppeteer and minister the Rev Peter Barber. The children really enjoyed making arts and crafts based both on the stories from the Bible, as well as some jungle-themed crafts, playing games and making new friends.

“We had our annual canoe race, where the children worked in their small groups to make a canoe out of cardboard and craft resources, and enjoyed the daily Jungle Jam Challenges to win points for their team. At the end of the week the winning team won special jungle-themed prizes.

“Each day we had aerobics from Jungle Jayne and on the final day we even had a visit from some real, live jungle animals!

“They got to meet a snake, tarantula, tortoise and other jungle animals. The children were brave enough to try foods that can be found in the jungle and tasted other jungle-themed snacks provided by our volunteers. This year we have some special seaside surprises in store! It’s brilliant fun.”

Scripture Union provides a number of programmes for different holiday clubs and works in partnership with some churches to run clubs.

Tim Raynes, Mission Development Manager for Scripture Union Scotland, explained: “Scripture Union Scotland has the great privilege of annually partnering with churches in around 30 locations (urban and rural) to run Mission Holiday clubs – seeing the children and young people of those communities exploring the Bible and responding to the significance of Jesus.

“Team members have a common desire to see the Gospel relevantly expressed, are drawn from a variety of churches to be involved in a week of fun songs, fun crafts, fun games, fun activities, plus fun Bible engagement and response.

“The fun is for both team and children!

“In 2018, SU Scotland developed training resources to help Holiday Club teams consider the needs of and be inclusive of children and young people with Additional Support Needs. Recognising that 25% of children in Scotland have ASNs, the training resource sought to encourage teams consider how to adapt their programmes and activities, offering learning opportunities and experiences that are inclusive of all children, not just some.

“In 2019, SU Scotland is running Mission and Holiday Club events in Aberfeldy, Arran (Brodick, Lamlash and Whiting Bay), Aviemore, Castle Douglas, Edinburgh (Buckstone, Clermiston, Colinton Mains/ Craiglockhart, Juniper Green/Currie, Leith and Moredun/Gilmerton), Elie, Eyemouth, Ferguslie Park, Helensburgh, Inverbervie, Islay, Kilwinning, Kirkcaldy, Kirkliston, North Berwick, Ormiston, Penicuik, Perth, Port Seton, Prestonpans, Thornliebank (Glasgow) and Whitecraig.

“Most of these events are run in partnership with parish churches, and in many cases, other churches too.

“It is estimated that 95% of children in our country have no connection with church. This statistic has the potential of either paralysing us or motivating us to pray and engage. Holiday Clubs are a wonderful way to engage these young minds.

“If your church isn’t currently involved with mission to children and young people, and you would like to find out more, it’s exciting to think what might be possible. SU Scotland will be only too glad to be involved, to help you, to support and partner with you as you explore the possibilities.

“How encouraging and exciting would it be to see 10, 20, 30, or even 40 children filling one of your church rooms with fun and laughter, learning something of the never-breaking, never-failing love of Jesus for them? And who knows, maybe even beginning a journey with Him?

“What could be done? What might be possible? What could it look like? What could we see God achieve through us?

“It is always a real privilege to encourage churches towards mission to children and young people within their communities; seeing them opening their doors to new experiences or even stepping out of their doors to work with children and young people in their community.

Isobel Booth-Clibborn, the Church of Scotland’s Mission and Discipleship Council’s Children’s Development Worker says that the church is using imaginative and incredibly varied ways to reach out and engage with young people.

“Last year, many churches ran holiday clubs giving hundreds of children some fun activities and great introduction to faith,” she says. “Events were put on all over the country.”

But it is not just towns and cities that reach out to children during holidays. Tingwall Church on Shetland runs three holiday clubs a year during the Easter, summer and October holidays. The summer one made use of the Church of Scotland World Mission Council’s Professor Potty’s Time Traveller’s Tales – one of a number of resources produced by the Council.

Children and Youth Worker for the area, Ellen Weir, explained: “The Tingwall holiday club has been meeting during the Easter, summer and October holidays for the past 10 years. Currently a group of about 10 volunteers, from various denominations, help to run the club for primary school children. We are usually able to enjoy welcoming around 20-30 children each time for activities in the village hall and occasional trips out and about.

The value of the team of volunteers can’t be underestimated. They have such a rich variety of skills and expertise between them, which makes light work of planning the theme and activities for each club.

“Letters are sent out to all local children through local schools and churches but word of mouth and sharing on social media help us to reach other families outside the district.

“The value of the team of volunteers can’t be underestimated. They have such a rich variety of skills and expertise between them, which makes light work of planning the theme and activities for each club. They come up with wonderfully original material (which they are always keen to share with others) and put such heart and effort into all they do. Of course, we are always keen to have new people express an interest in joining the team!

“Prayer is a vital part of our preparation and we are grateful to the Rev Magnus Williamson, a retired minister, who faithfully visits before each session to pray with the team, asking God to be at work in all we do.

“Each session usually includes icebreakers, singing, story-time, fun ways to interact with the bible, crafts, games and snacks and a drama. Living in such a beautiful place (we’re not biased at all!), we try to make good use of our outdoor spaces, whether that’s through games, treasure hunts, gardening or exploring,” she laughs.

“We’ve also been looking at how we can create spaces for parents and carers to be more involved in the holiday club and recently organised the final session of the holiday club as a Messy Church where all were welcome to stay and enjoy the activities, story and food together. This seemed to work well – there was a wonderful atmosphere and parents said they felt very welcome and enjoyed connecting with others.

“Our hope is that we can continue to build on the work of the last 10 years, helping children and their families have fun as they get to know God better. As Shetland moves towards becoming a single parish, we also hope we can support the ministries of other congregations by finding ways to share our resources and experience more widely.”

And the fun goes on, across Scotland with many examples of engagement with children and young people.

Summer and holiday clubs have moved on from the trip in the bus that I remember from my youth, but the spirit of love, of fellowship and the curiosity to explore Christ and His message, carries on, passed down to today’s young people and children, thanks to the volunteers and the workers who show their sense of mission through their work year in, year out.

And we should be grateful for every one of them.