Youth Provision As part of the Children’s Ministry survey interviews were also asked to outline the youth provision that takes place in their church(es). Down and Dromore Youth & Children’s Department

This information was also used to update an audit of youth ministry provision that took place at the end of 2008. Children’s Ministry Report 2011

Youth Fellowship Groups (includes Youth Cells, Urban Overview of results Saints and Youth Initiatives). 2011 2008 50 (48)

Youth Clubs 23 (21)

Church Youth Services 17 N/A

Conirmation Preparation Groups 43 (41)

Youth Choirs 2 (2)

The total combined initiatives for Children and for Young People organised or hosted by churches in the Diocese of Down and Dromore stands at 590.

The total amount of leaders involved in just the youth, uniformed and Sunday School element of these initiatives is 1,939.

The total amount of employed workers in parishes with a remit for children and/ or young people is 38.

These igures can be compared to the statutory sector of the Youth Service for , which operates 179 youth clubs and residential centres and employs 960 workers and 543 volunteers. Down & Dromore Diocesan Synod 28th June 2011 Julie Currie Seagoe Centre Down and Dromore Children’s Officer House 61-67 Donegall Street Belfast BT1 2QH

email: [email protected] Tel: 028 9082 8856 Overview of the results

This survey was carried out between January to May 2011 in Down and Dromore Closing thought Diocese. Ministering to children is a vital part of church life . . . our church life. Children are 69 Parishes out of a total of 76 were visited. not the church of tomorrow; they are the church of today. Children can experience Responses compiled for 94 churches out of a total of 101 churches. and contribute a huge amount in the Kingdom of God, and it is a privilege to be This was a 93 % return. involved in helping them to do this.

Sunday school The starting point for all of us working with children at any level must be gaining a 68 out of the 69 parishes have Sunday school/s, some in more than one of their basic understanding of them and their needs. Children today more than ever, need to churches and some in only one of their group of churches within the parish – 88 know that there is someone who is genuinely interested in them and who cares Sunday Schools out of a total of 94 possibles, 93%. about them. Children are individuals, unique and gifted by God.

3,008 children attend on a regular basis in Sunday school with 764 Sunday We may need to consider raising our expectations of what we expect from children School teachers volunteering within the Diocese, most on a weekly basis and spiritually. Children have a fantastic capacity to learn, be taught and grow in a others on a rota system of once a month or every other week. relationship with God and God desires this for them. So we need to ensure that children feel secure, welcomed and enabled in a positive environment, so they can Based on diocesan statistical returns from 1995 there had been a decline in understand, enjoy and apply God’s word to their lives. Sunday school numbers of approximately 1,000 children every 5 years. Serving Sizes (1995-2000, 2000-2005) Our churches should be:

For the period 2005- 2011 this decline has slowed to 342 children, but never the Committed to ministry & pastoral care of children in their parish & community. less a decline. However there is data missing from 7 parishes, so 342 is likely to be an over estimate of the decrease. Creating opportunities for children to encounter the Gospel in all its forms.

Connecting the children’s programmes together and to other ministries in the Sunday School Attendance church, recognizing that children are partners in the Gospel & Christ’s church.

Year 1995 2000 2005 2011 To accomplish all of this we need to cover every detail and every aspect with: prayer, Sunday training & School 5335 4375 3350 3008 Attendance resourcing for the parishes and churches in Down and Dromore Diocese. (Increase/decrease) -960 -1025 -342 Sunday School 746 637 546 764 Teachers

(Increase/decrease) -109 -91 218 Overview of the results

Identiied Training and Support Needs Since the last survey in 2007 (which was presented to Synod in 2009) of the 68 • Training & equipping of Sunday school teachers & children workers churches we have accurate data for, 41 have shown a decrease in numbers, 25 an • Resources & information increase and 2 remain unchanged. • Recruitment & retention of leaders (especially men). However over this same period the average Sunday School attendance has • Advice & support. increased from 31 in 2007 to 34 in 2011, ranging from 4-149 across the diocese. • Develop links & support Sunday school teachers at a Diocesan level. • Keeping children attentive & learning. The diocese has 764 Sunday School teachers, volunteering. This is the largest • A curriculum to follow. number of leaders since 1995, which may well relect the fact that more leaders • Post conirmation support & initiatives. operate on a rota basis. • Support & resources for the 10-12 age group. • Encouragement.

Over 60% of the churches asked for help in training, equipping and Other Children’s Activities creche resourcing their Sunday school teachers. Kids Club M&T Conclusion Mid-week Club This survey seeks to give a wide picture of what Children’s Ministry and After school club Children’s activities are going on within the Diocese and a closer more Messy Church intimate look at how churches put this into practice. To acknowledge our 5% strengths and weaknesses and to be open to sharing ideas to develop 9% children’s work within our parishes. It is by no means exhaustive and possibly 35% an additional survey of Sunday school teachers would give even more insight. 10%

The results highlight many positives amongst the parishes surveyed.

• 89% of parishes hold a family service at least once a month with 30% 12% input from and for the children. • Sunday school is still a huge part of Sunday worship for children, although numbers show decline we can be encouraged that the decline is slowing. • There is a clear identiied need to encourage, train and resource those in Children’s Ministry. • parishes are running more toddler Groups 57%. Throughout the parishes surveyed we ind that there are many more clubs and • 54% of our parishes run a Holiday Bible Club. groups for toddlers and children: • Churches are inding creative ways to run clubs e.g sports, 45 creches homework, cookery, craft, messy church, Kidz clubs. 15 Kids Clubs 39 Mother & Toddler groups In addition, we need to continue to address the question of how we reach the 13 Mid week clubs large number of children in our parishes who are ‘unchurched’ and draw 12 After school club them in. 6 Messy Church (variations)

Overview of the results

Uniformed Organisations In total there are 455 activities taking place in our churches. On average this Girls Brigade in 14 parishes. is between 6 and 7 initiatives for children per parish. Boys Brigade in 16 parishes. Girl guides from Rainbows, Brownies and Guides in 31 parishes. Sunday School Practices Scouts from cubs, Beavers, Scouts and Explorer/Sea Scouts in 18 parishes. All 68 parishes (100%) had articulated goals for their children’s ministry. Girl Friendly Society in 2 parishes. The most popular concerned Bible teaching, learning about the Christian Faith, Church lads & church Girls Brigade in 3 parishes. Christian Education, learning the fundamental basics – 10 commandments, Lords prayer, creed etc.

Uniformed Organisations A variety of teaching materials are used in Sunday schools, the most popular are Scripture Union, Go Teach, the Internet, Living Stones, CMS Ireland Lenten 40 project, CEF materials, CLICK and Urban Saints. Other material used are Growing 35 Together, Bible Society, Searchlight, Metro Ministry, Roots, ‘On the Way’ TNT 30 Ministries, St John’s Gospel and the Messy Church books. 25 Most Sunday schools use books, visuals, music, drama, DVD/videos, speakers and 20 a variety of other resources too. 15 Training Offered (apart from Safeguarding Trust) 10 45% of Parishes offer training or training courses to go on. NUmber or groups 5 The most widely recognised training course is Building Blocks – an annual event. 0 13 different courses were mentioned: G.B B.B GUIDES SCOUTS G.F.S C.L.C.G.B • Building Blocks • Puppet training A regular family or Children’s service in which children are encouraged • CPAS to attend and take an active part in. • Good Book Company Monthly All Age Worship takes place in 34 churches. • OCN Youth work Monthly Family service takes place in 68 churches. • New Wine Some churches do both, 90 out of 94 churches have either. • CMSI Lenten project • Alliance Youth Work Holiday Bible Club • Uniformed Organisations training 37 parishes run a Holiday Bible Club. • Crown Jesus Ministry 5 additional parishes are intending to run a summer holiday club in 2011. • Jim Bailey Holiday Bible clubs run mainly in the Summer but a few at Easter and • CGCM Conference in England Christmas, ranging from 2 days to a week in length. • Messy Church The materials used for these clubs is Scripture Union, Metro Ministries, CEF , Kidz Club and Vocation Bible School material. Approximately 2,250 children attend these, with 61 children on average. 5 of these clubs are run by outside agencies - C.E.F (2) and AYW (3)