This book explores the way in which liturgy can be used effectively in all-age communication. It is also a comprehensive practical resource - containing 12 complete all-age worship outlines for use throughout the year.

'Looking through the eyes of a child is not a twee, cosy or easy experience. It can be unsettling, uncomfortable, edgy...' - from the Introduction Who has the right to 'do' theology? Only academics? Only adults? Or do we all have a voice in the kingdom of God? Through the Eyes of a Child considers 14 key theological themes from one of the most neglected of perspectives - that of children. Honouring Jesus' command to place the child at the centre, theologians, psychologists and educationalists take us from our comfort zone to look afresh at some of the most grave, difficult and beautiful topics in Christian theology. Challenging conventional readings of theology, this landmark work will fascinate and challenge anyone who cares about children and their place in the world and the church.

This book includes ideas about using festivals to build relationships with the community. Contains 15 complete all-age worship outlines for use throughout the year, including key occasions like Christmas, Mothering Sunday, Easter, Father's Day and Harvest.

We Welcome You is a three-part baptism preparation course to help parishes prepare families for their child's baptism and to discover the joyful start of a lifelong journey of faith. Drawing on extensive research with families, the course helps parishes to engage families with practical tips on welcome and on helping children and families prepare well for this significant spiritual moment. We Welcome You can be used with small groups or with individual families, but there are also options for using the material in a single session and even at a home visit. Containing all the resources necessary, it covers every aspect of this vital ministry and aims to enrich pastoral practice and, importantly, the experience of families. Session 1 helps families to reflect on why they want their child baptized, the importance of godparents, and the deeper meaning of baptism. Session 2 looks at the baptism service itself and the promises made at it, and explores the key symbols and their significance. Session 3 encourages families to continue on their spiritual journey, with ideas for praying with their child, reading Bible stories together and becoming part of a local church community. Informal and participative, the course offers a wide range of approaches including icebreaker activities and discussion starters, storytelling, reflection and discussion, crafts, quizzes and games. All handouts are photocopiable.

Beyond the Children's Corner is a practical handbook to help churches become more welcoming to children and families in worship. It encourages PCCs and ministry teams to reflect on the spiritual needs of children, the pastoral needs of families, and how to remove barriers and manage change effectively. Based on multiple training sessions and extensive casework, informed by research by the Church of England's Life Events team and the Methodist Church, it explores: * The changing needs of modern families; * What tells you it's time for change; * 'Quick wins' to make the worship space more welcoming and spiritually imaginative; * Engaging children in spiritually nourishing worship; * Children and contemplative worship - what to do about noise; * Building and sustaining relationships with families and children. Many books on All-Age Worship focus the service itself. Beyond the Children's Corner explores how children and adults can be truly integrated as the church community, covering parents' perspectives, the church building and the challenge of change as well as what happens in worship.