A practical book that outlines (at a lay level) current thinking on child development and spirituality, and brings them together to propose effective ways to work with children in the church. The book engages with the ideas of Godly Play, an approach developed by Jerome Berryman in the US and gaining ground and enthusiasts among those involved in faith development here, and puts them into a UK context. The grounding in theory and the case histories fromthe author's own work fill out a rounded picture.

Bible stories can seem so familiar that we fail to connect with the lives and characters they reveal. How did Sarai really feel about God's call to seventy-five year old Abram to leave everything homely and familiar behind? What was it like being an Israelite as God's plagues were raining down on the Egyptians? How can we recapture the bewilderment and wonder of Mary and Joseph obediently playing their parts in the purposes of God? What must it have been like, as one of the poor unfortunates cast aside by society, to have your life instantly transformed by the healing love of Jesus? Or to witness Peter, the oaf who was always saying the wrong thing, becoming the rock on which the church is built?In reflecting on the frailties, uncertainties and mysteries of the human experience, these lively and provocative story meditations offer real insight into the nature of salvation. Each is followed by suggestions, which individuals or groups may use, for contemplation and prayer.

In most churches, Christian education for children is run by enthusiastic volunteers from the worshipping community. But how much support and training do they receive? Do they get the opportunity to explore and apply principles of child development or current theories of faith development? And to what extent are they supported by their ministers and congregations with a clear focus on children's work? Including empirical research and drawing on the author's extensive experience of working with children, Faith in Children offers a window into the process going on inside our children and enables those who work with them to understand what makes a particular child tick. With insights into a range of teaching methods, learning styles and the unique spirituality of children, this book suggests how adults can truly learn from children as they learn from us. There are tips for ministers and educators on how this precious teaching and nurturing resource can be sustained and used to work with children in a more effective manner. Through this increasing knowledge and understanding, adults can come closer to understanding children understanding God.

The Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning (SEAL) programme is a UK government initiative designed to help children and young people develop social and emotional intelligence. SEAL aims to help children nurture skills such as understanding another's point of view, working in a group, sticking at things when they get difficult, resolving conflict and managing worries. SEAL Assemblies for Primary Schools is a collection of 42 SEAL-themed assemblies, edited by Ronni Lamont. A new addition to the highly successful SPCK Assemblies Book series, it will be a valuable resource for primary school teachers and clergy who wish to implement the SEAL curriculum.

This new addition to the SPCK Assemblies series is a collection of assemblies that will help teachers to celebrate with all their children throughout the school year, no matter which faith they belong to. The book features assemblies dedicated to the festivals of nine major world religions: the Baha'i Faith, Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Jainism, Judaism, Sikhism, and Zoroastrianism. All of the assemblies have been written by people of a Christian background, so they conform to the present law concerning Collective Worship in schools. As with all books in the Assemblies series, helpful icons and a subject index make the book a user-friendly resource for school assembly leaders.

Contains a variety of assemblies from the secondary section of www.assemblies.org.uk. The material covers Christian festivals; stories from the Bible; PSHE-related material; ethics-related material.