Making Kids welcome
By Jill Kayser
The Kids Friendly project was publicly praised at a recent national children’s ministry conference for the awesome work it is doing to lift the standard of children’s ministry.
This national kudos for this Presbyterian Church project comes as a welcome surprise to project managers Jill Kayser and Emily Wotton, because at present, Kids Friendly is a regional ( South Auckland ) pilot project funded by Council for World Mission.
The brief to develop sample Kids Friendly churches and best practise for children’s ministry in a small target area, did not include national marketing. However, despite its limited market, the Kids Friendly word has spread and Presbyterians and others all over New Zealand are keen to know more. Invitations are rolling in from individuals and organisations wanting the project managers to share their knowledge and vision.
“We’re constantly balancing the day to day work with invitations to present to presbyteries, children’s ministry conference organisers, national forums, the School of Ministry , churches and other denominations,” says Jill.
The hugely positive response to the project has convinced the managers that Kids Friendly needs to go national. The Presbyterian Savings Development Society has just announced that it will provide half the funding required to continue the work for two years and other sources of funding are being sought now.
“We are leaping ahead in faith now,” says Jill, “and will shortly begin marketing the project nationally by developing the Kids Friendly website and exploring creative ways to spread the Kids Friendly message to all churches.”
“It’s as if Kids Friendly is a welcoming light on our sometimes foggy landscape. Emily and I constantly get calls and emails from people all over the country and even internationally, wanting to know more.”
“Our vision is to create a unique Presbyterian culture where our churches are renowned for the way they intentionally welcome, celebrate and serve children and families, and where children’s ministry workers are highly valued, well resourced and supported through a loving and inspiring network.”
What exactly is Kids Friendly?
The Kids Friendly project was commissioned by the Presbyterian Church in 2004 in response to research that identified the vital contribution children and families make to healthy congregations.
The two-year project is now in its last six months, but the enthusiastic response and positive results, has the managers determined to see the project’s results and resources being shared with the Presbyterian Church nationally. The purpose of the Kids Friendly project has been to encourage and assist churches to intentionally minister to children and families.
Jill and Emily are working with eight churches namely St John’s Papatoetoe, St Heliers, St Columba, Howick, Beachlands/ Maraetai, Somervell, St Andrew’s Otahuhu and Clevedon to help them become Kids Friendly.
Kids Friendly has been developed as a brand that identifies a network of active Kids Friendly churches. The project managers provide hands on coaching that includes a self review process against developed Kids Friendly ideals, strategic planning, resourcing and networking opportunities.
In addition, the project has assisted three churches to employ children’s ministry personnel.
Says Margaret-Anne Low of St John’s Papatoetoe: “The Kids Friendly project made it possible for us to take the step of employing a children’s ministry worker. This has been a very positive move for us.”
Clevedon has taken the step to employ their highly valued previously voluntary children’s ministry worker, who is working to raise the quality of their children’s programmes and brand Clevedon as Kids Friendly. And Somervell has recently appointed a community and families ministry director to work with its existing programmes and develop new initiatives.
Says Emily: “The churches involved in the project have responded enthusiastically and are well on the way to being branded Kids Friendly. But the surprise for us has been just how much interest the project has generated nationally and internationally. We decided to share some of the great stories of what churches are doing by developing our ‘Hands On’ publication and the demand for that has been overwhelming!”