New Years Day Walk Jan 2009

Monday, 05 January 2009 00:00

The weather treated us well and 40 of us enjoyed a great walk across the fields and around the arboretum – what a fantastic way to start the year.

Children and Families

Thursday, 01 January 2009 00:00

We're keen to get children involved with our Church - both within the Church services but also away from the Sunday services. Please contact us for more information.

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Programme

Sunday
Junior Church 10.45am. 
Splashers - 0-3 years old
Beacons - pre-school to Year Reception
Lighthouse - Years 1-2
Adventurers Years 3-5

Monday
Toddler Praise 10:30am.  1st Monday of the month.
Chattaccinos 10:30am.  2nd Monday of the month.

Wednesday
Ma’mites 9.30am-11.30am.  Toddler group for under 3’s and their parents or carers.
Junior choir 6.15pm-19.00pm. School Years 2-6.

Other
Fundays and Holiday club
Parenting courses
Dangerous Club for Boys
Pancake Race

Junior Church

We’ve got an active Junior church on Sundays at the 10:45am service and everyone is welcome to join in. Normally, we start in the service and then go out after some songs and prayers.

Splashers: 0-3 years
A chance for the wee ones to play with toys, listen to music, do craft or have stories from the bible.  The really wee dots can join-in or play, eat, scream or sleep!  Meets in the Olive room.

Beacons: 3-5 years and Lighthouse: School Years 1-2
Both groups meet in the hall and normally starts with some singing together.  We do a range of fun activities including Bible stories, games, crafts, and songs.

Adventurers: School Years 3-6
Adventurers normally meets in the Palm room.  There’s a whole range of activities from looking at bible stories to games or discussions.

Please do remember to collect your children – particularly the younger ones, and please make sure your child has been registered, so that we know contact information and special needs – diet etc.

Junior Choir

Junior choir meets on a Wednesday evening from 6:15pm-7:00pm during term-time.  The choir is for those in school years 2-6 and has lots of fun learning new songs and singing them as part of worship services.  If you’d like to know more see Who's Who.

Global Gang and Fundays

Global Gang is our summer club for Infants and Juniors.  It runs in the summer holidays and we explore the effect we have on the planet and on others, and at how we can live our lives the way God wants.

Our one day Fundays at Christmas and Easter focus on these key stories in the Christian year and try to explore them from new angles.

Toddler Praise

Toddler Praise is church especially for the little ones so come and join us for some fun with the kids!  We have music, storytime and crafts, followed by a relaxing cup of tea and a chat while the children play.  All children under school age and their parents/carers welcome!  We meet in the church at 10:30am normally on the 1st Monday of the month during term-time. Take a look at the diary to check the next date.

Ma’mites

Ma’mites is a friendly parent and toddler group which meets on Wednesdays during term time between 9.30am and 11.30am in St John’s Hall. Mums, dads, grandparents, au pairs, childminders and nannies bring the children in their charge and all are welcome.  The children range in age from newborn to 3 years plus.We have a large group and lots of activities including toys, books, painting and singing. Refreshments are served for children and adults.

Chattaccinos

Interesting presentations, fun discussions and a good cup of coffee.  That’s what you’ll get at Chattaccinos on the 2nd Monday of the month during term time. It's for all adults - not just those with children but there's a creche available if you need one. It starts at 10:30am in The Link.

Parenting Courses

Parenting courses for covering children of a range of different age groups are offered when there is demand for them.  Please contact the team for details.

Communion Preparation

St John's has a policy of allowing preparation for communion before confirmation.  When children (and their parents) feel they would like to prepare for receiving communion, we offer special preparation sessions.  Please talk with Jo Wilkins or Stefan Nahajski if you you'd like to know more.

Schools

At St John's we value the role of teachers and schools in the community and aim to support that wherever we can.  We offer assemblies in Windlesham Village Infant School, Valley End C of E  School and in Coworth-Flexlands School.

Local Links

Windlesham is served by the Bagshot Infant School Sure Start Children's Centre, which offers a range of services for the under-fives.  The website gives up-to-date information about opening times, activities and services.

Youth

Thursday, 01 January 2009 00:00

Our 'Youth' activities focus on having fun, meeting together and growing to be who we want to be by reaching our potential.

Programme

Sunday
Youth cell group 6.30pm-8.00pm.  Fun, food, prayer, exploring faith.

Monday
Wherehouse 8.00pm-9.00pm.  Discussion and fun for 14-18 year olds.

Wednesday
Hotspot (wvyp) 7.00-9.00pm. Youth Cafe, Bagshot

Friday
Youth group 7.30pm-9.00pm.  Open youth club for Windlesham.  (Download a registration form here)

Other

• Babysitting courses (wvyp)
• Junior Leaders course
• Music Band
• Dangerous Club for Boys
• Confirmation

Confirmation

St John's offers special support for young people who want to be confirmed in their faith. You'll find more about confirmation here.

Junior Leaders

We encourage young people to take leading roles in our children's ministry. Young people add so much to our ministry and the children adore having them involved. We offer specific Junior Leader training as required.

Windle Valley Youth Project

St John’s supports the Windle Valley Youth Project (wvyp). The project serves the towns of Bagshot, Lightwater and Windlesham.

The purpose of the project is to serve all the young people (11-18 year olds) of the Windle Valley. It aims to support young people in reaching their full potential by understanding and serving their social, spiritual and recreational needs.  It does this both through direct youth work and by supporting and facilitating other groups.

The WVYP is a Christian project.  To find out lots more go to the website www.wvyp.org.uk

Safeguarding

Thursday, 01 January 2009 00:00

Protection of our children and young people is of paramount importance to us.  We have adopted the Child Protection Policy that has been developed by the Diocese of Guildford.  We have an appointed Child Protection Officer (CPO), whose role is to ensure that everyone who works with under 18's through the Church has undergone the necessary checks beforehand and, working with the head of our youth, children and families ministry (YCM - Stefan Nahajski), ensures our policy is implemented.

Specifically, everyone who works with under 18's through our Church is taken through a recruitment process and is checked for Enhanced Criminal Records Bureau clearance.

For more information about our policy and the guidelines and training we give our volunteers and workers please contact us.

If you have any concerns at all about the safety of children in our care, please contact Stefan Nahajski or Andrew Hill (see Who's Who).

Our child protection policy statement:

• As members of this PCC, we commit our parish to the nurturing, protection and safeguarding of all, especially the young and vulnerable.
• We recognise that our work with children and young people is the responsibility of the whole Church community.
• We are committed to following the Home Office Code of Practice, Safe from Harm, and the Diocesan guidelines.
• We undertake to select all our workers with care, to support them and to train them.
• We are committed to supporting our families in their parenting role.
• We review this policy annually.

Resources

• Our Child Protection Good Practice Guide and the Brief Guide are available from our Child Protection Officer, Andrew Hill.
• For training in our Safeguarding policies and procedures please contact Stefan Nahajski.
• Website for Guildford Diocesan Safeguarding resources.