THE LORD’S DAY CHILDREN’S MEETING PROGRAMME

Beale St (District 1)

Level 1   (Years 1-3) Level 2   (Years 4-6) Level 3   (Years 7-8)
9:30 – 9:45 Serving team come together to pray
10:00 – 10:30 Singing all together or separately (team decision)
10:30 – 10:45 Morning tea
10:45 – 11:15 Interactive Lesson
11:15 – 12:00 Workshop / break time at the playground

Gordonton Rd (District 2)

Level 1   (Years 1-3) Level 2   (Years 4-6) Level 3   (Years 7-8)
9:30 – 9:45 Serving team come together to pray
10:00 – 10:30 Singing all together or separately (team decision)
10:30 – 11:00 Interactive Lesson
11:00 – 11:20 Morning tea and break time
11:20 – 12:00 Workshop

Group arrangements

There are three levels. Level One = Year 1-3 children. Level Two = Year 4-6 children. Level Three = Year 7-8 children. Serving ones (in all levels) serving on the same Lord’s Day form a team. Teams The team is responsible for the session on the Lord’s Day. In coordination they should:

  • meet the week before they serve (we suggest at lunch after the Lord’s Day meeting) to pray, discuss their lesson and workshop, practise singing and to allocate tasks. The team coordinator is responsible for contacting the team and making sure all the needs are met.
  • supply (buy) fruit for morning tea (MT).
  • organise the dry food/fruit/jugs of water into three groups for the three levels before the meeting starts. The dry food for MT is supplied and kept in the NCM Resource Room (Gordonton) and in the Children’s Resource Room in the top kitchen (Beale Street).
  • allocate some to be on registration – beginning at 9:50am. A team member needs to get the registration folder and the check allergy list (check with MT person that items are ok for all children). Use the registration sheets to record children’s names as they arrive. (They need to be signed out at Beale Street) Please date the sheets – the information is being collated.
  • set up data projectors. We use data projectors at singing time (and sometimes during lessons). Someone needs to be allocated to set this up well before the start of the meeting and then return it to its rightful place afterwards.
  • clean up. Each district will have its own clean up needs – these might include putting gear away, vacumming, wiping off boards and benches, washing/drying/putting away dishes, returning furniture to its place etc. Encourage children to clean up after themselves – putting items they use away.
  • pray together at 9:30am. Serving saints will need to go earlier than this if they need time to set up for their lessons/workshops.
  • allocate singing leaders. They should be ready to sing at 10:00am.
  • supply the team coordinator with a brief report on each level so that he/she can email this information to the next team – explaining  what was done and how – and mentioning anything that needs following up.
  • write a brief summary for the website Blog. It’s not necessary every time – maybe every second or third time. Send summary and photos to Barb Ryan to upload to website.

Singing

We suggest singing altogether (if possible) – It’s a welcoming/warming time. Latecomers can join in easily because everyone is together. Develop a culture of caring for each other – it’s a family time etc. Mums can stay for this part if children are reluctant to be left. Encourage the Year 7&8 children to “shepherd” the younger children at this time. Encourage them to choose some of the songs and to be role models for younger children.

Lessons

Lessons are 30 minutes – short/sharp to keep attention. They should be interactive – so children are not sitting still for 30 minutes. Different things are happening – children should be engaged with stories, activities, role-plays, demonstrations, singing, etc.

Break time

Break time is a very important time for children. This allows them to recalibrate. They need physical time (preferably outside) to refresh and gear up for the next session. They need food and mental downtime. Allowing for this time makes a difference in behaviour and attention in children. It also gives serving ones an opportunity to ‘play’ with the children (which they love – and it builds bonds between serving ones and children). Avoid being too structured at this time.

Workshops

This should be a fun time of engagement for children – a time they will look forward to. Activities (most of the time) should be hands-on/physical or at least where the children themselves are participating and fully engaged.

Building relationships

Serving ones at each level should endeavour to build a rapport/relationships with the children. The children need people they know and can trust.

Morning tea – Food

For some reason that science researchers and doctors have not yet discovered many people today have food intolerances – to various degrees. A number of our children react emotionally, physically or both to certain kinds of food. Parents struggle to cope with this, particularly if the reaction is severe. One identified culprit is sugar. It seems to trigger problems for children already struggling with certain issues. Sugar, however, is problematic for everyone for numerous reasons including its link to obesity and poor health. For this reason we try to reduce the amount of sugar we serve to the young ones at children’s meetings. If you need to give out rewards we suggest you avoid the sugar variety. Morning teas may consist of fruit, nuts, bread (or low sugar loaves), cheese, etc. Note that biscuits/cookies have a high sugar content. Water is fine for drinking (fruit juice/soft drink contain high doses of sugar). A touch of lemon juice and some ice makes a pleasant “sky juice” drink. You need to be aware of allergies children may have. Peanuts and dairy products, for example, can have serious consequences for children. So while cheese and nuts will be fine for most children, alternatives should be available for children who can’t have them. There are information forms on each of the children that contain information such as allergy problems. Please check these if you are a new serving one. These forms will be held in the offices of North and South districts.

Morning tea ideas

  • Fruit – Cut up apples, bananas, oranges, feijoas, grapes, etc
  • Dried fruit – raisins, cranberries, etc
  • Nuts – walnuts, cashews, almonds (no peanuts)
  • Cheese, yoghurt
  • Low sugar loaves, banana bread
  • Sandwiches
  • Sushi