Families
Welcome to our Families Page!
We aim to be a church where people of all ages and backgrounds can encounter God and grow in faith. We are well aware of the busyness and pressures of family life, and of the challenges that parents face in bringing up children in today's world. This page tells you about activities for families at our Church, and includes resources for helping you to share faith at home.
You can also download our booklet "Families at St Michael's" by clicking below. It contains information about our church taken from various pages of this website in one place for families to refer to. There are printed copies available in the church.
We aim to be a church where people of all ages and backgrounds can encounter God and grow in faith. We are well aware of the busyness and pressures of family life, and of the challenges that parents face in bringing up children in today's world. This page tells you about activities for families at our Church, and includes resources for helping you to share faith at home.
You can also download our booklet "Families at St Michael's" by clicking below. It contains information about our church taken from various pages of this website in one place for families to refer to. There are printed copies available in the church.
| families_2021_10_web.pdf |
Family Worker
Our Family Worker is Sarah Bishop, who will be well known to those who attend the Family Service, and to parents of children from St Michael's School, where she previously worked as a Teaching Assistant. She is available to support families by listening to problems, giving advice on prayer and faith in the family and signposting people to other sources of help, including Crowthorne Foodbank.
Our Family Worker is Sarah Bishop, who will be well known to those who attend the Family Service, and to parents of children from St Michael's School, where she previously worked as a Teaching Assistant. She is available to support families by listening to problems, giving advice on prayer and faith in the family and signposting people to other sources of help, including Crowthorne Foodbank.
Support for Families - Care for the Family
Care for the Family is a Christian charity that publishes resources, organises events and courses on various aspects of family life, including marriage, parenting and bereavement support. You can access their website here.
Families and Faith
With all the activities that are on offer for children, and with the pressures of working life as well, it's so easy for faith and church to take a back seat. And yet the Christian faith offers precisely the kind of guidance that we all need to cope with life, and discern the important values and beliefs that make for good relationships, and a fulfilled and meaningful life.
Our Family Service, Kidz Church, Baby and Toddler Time and youth meetings are regular activities that are geared to families and children of different ages. In addition, the Start and Moving On courses, house groups and Sunday sermons (most of which can be read or listened to on the monthly services page) help adults to explore the Christian faith, and grow closer to God. We also encourage people to attend external events run by Care for the Family, Spring Harvest, Big Church Day Out and other organisations.
With all the activities that are on offer for children, and with the pressures of working life as well, it's so easy for faith and church to take a back seat. And yet the Christian faith offers precisely the kind of guidance that we all need to cope with life, and discern the important values and beliefs that make for good relationships, and a fulfilled and meaningful life.
Our Family Service, Kidz Church, Baby and Toddler Time and youth meetings are regular activities that are geared to families and children of different ages. In addition, the Start and Moving On courses, house groups and Sunday sermons (most of which can be read or listened to on the monthly services page) help adults to explore the Christian faith, and grow closer to God. We also encourage people to attend external events run by Care for the Family, Spring Harvest, Big Church Day Out and other organisations.
Prayer At Home
Do you ever pray aloud with your kids? If not, why not try it? It needn't be scary or awkward, particularly if you start early, and will really help your children (and you) to develop a relationship with God. A simple prayer at bedtime could be a starting point. Then why not say a simple prayer or "grace" before a meal? It could be as simple as "Dear God, thank you for our food and for each other. Amen."
One simple outline for types of prayer is TSP (think teaspoon):
Thank you
Sorry
Please
Here are some prayers for children and families in either pdf format or doc format. They should be readable on your smartphone or tablet.
Here's another (external) webpage that gives some prayers for your family.
Prayer Cube is a simple ministry craft idea that will help your children have fun whilst learning to pray. Watch the video for further instructions. Alternatively, you can just view and print out a basic paper template and create your own individual family prayers together or use the downloaded basic children's prayers.
One simple outline for types of prayer is TSP (think teaspoon):
Thank you
Sorry
Please
Here are some prayers for children and families in either pdf format or doc format. They should be readable on your smartphone or tablet.
Here's another (external) webpage that gives some prayers for your family.
Prayer Cube is a simple ministry craft idea that will help your children have fun whilst learning to pray. Watch the video for further instructions. Alternatively, you can just view and print out a basic paper template and create your own individual family prayers together or use the downloaded basic children's prayers.
Helpful Resources To Use At Home
Roots on the Web - teaching material designed for a Sunday School group, can be used at home.
Kitchen Table Project - advice on sharing faith at home. This is part of Care for the Family, which has advice, runs courses and provides resources for families.
Diddy Disciples has worship and storytelling resources for babies, toddlers and young children. Free audio to lead you in short simple sustainable times of prayer.
Roots on the Web - teaching material designed for a Sunday School group, can be used at home.
Kitchen Table Project - advice on sharing faith at home. This is part of Care for the Family, which has advice, runs courses and provides resources for families.
Diddy Disciples has worship and storytelling resources for babies, toddlers and young children. Free audio to lead you in short simple sustainable times of prayer.
Talking To Your Child About Online Safety
Like it or not, we live in a digital age, and today’s children and teens have never known a world without smartphones, tablets, online gaming and social media. Children and young people are naturally inquisitive, learn quickly and are easily distracted by content that is designed to keep their attention. They are also inclined to be trusting, lack enough knowledge to distinguish truth from deception, and are willing to ignore potential risks.
It can be difficult to know how to start talking to your child about what they’re actually doing online or who they might be speaking to. But talking regularly, like you would usually about their day at school, will help your child feel relaxed and mean that when they do have any worries, they’re more likely to come and speak to you. See this NSPCC resource.
Care for the Family have lots of great practical advice and Katharine Hill has a book "Left To Their Own Devices?" which would help you with confident parenting in a world of screens. There is a copy available to borrow at the back of the church.
Like it or not, we live in a digital age, and today’s children and teens have never known a world without smartphones, tablets, online gaming and social media. Children and young people are naturally inquisitive, learn quickly and are easily distracted by content that is designed to keep their attention. They are also inclined to be trusting, lack enough knowledge to distinguish truth from deception, and are willing to ignore potential risks.
It can be difficult to know how to start talking to your child about what they’re actually doing online or who they might be speaking to. But talking regularly, like you would usually about their day at school, will help your child feel relaxed and mean that when they do have any worries, they’re more likely to come and speak to you. See this NSPCC resource.
Care for the Family have lots of great practical advice and Katharine Hill has a book "Left To Their Own Devices?" which would help you with confident parenting in a world of screens. There is a copy available to borrow at the back of the church.