Teaching the Bible to our children is one of the most important (and fun) things we do as a church. Yet, if you're not part of the team or don't have kids yourself, it might easily go unnoticed. So, we spoke to Kat Miller, who recently joined the staff team as Children's Ministry Lead, to tell us more.
Pancho, Kat, Jonah & Benji
What should we know about you?
I’ve been part of Grace London with my husband, Pancho, for over seven years. We have two boys, Jonah (4) and Benji (2), and before being a mum, I was a maths teacher.
What does the ministry look like?
Our kids' ministry has grown lots over the years. I often reflect on how Grace started with only a couple of babes in arms, yet now we have almost 90 children between the ages of two and 12. On a usual Sunday, we have somewhere between 60 and 75 kids across four groups at Waterloo and two at Holborn. There are also about 30 under-twos who will join our groups over the next few years. It really is expanding.
The kids gather in groups with leaders each week, where they play games and hear a Bible story that points to the bigger story of the gospel. Recently, I've really enjoyed delivering little stories from Leviticus or Numbers and pointing them forward to Jesus.
They exceed our expectations of how much they enjoy it, how much they retain, and how much they already know. And it's just lots of fun!
Tell us about the Weekend Away.
The kids loved it, the team loved it, I loved it. We put all the children together in one space, almost like a summer camp. One big fun experience and competition. We learned about Jesus' miracles and, on the last day, looked at his resurrection. Joel and Will came to lead worship, which was a highlight. The kids rose to it in a beautiful way, singing with abandon.
Designing team banners at the Weekend Away
What have the kids taught you?
Teaching children from the Bible has been incredibly humbling and helpful. To explain a passage, even to a ten-year-old (let alone a two-year-old!), makes you really think about it. The kids also remind me not to underestimate what they remember, what they know, and how deep their relationship with God can be, even at their age.
How can you see God at work?
Grace London is exciting for many reasons, not least because of the diversity of our church family, reflected in our children's work. We've got kids from all different backgrounds and situations, and yet together in one space, they're just children - and they're just children of God. They're great at befriending, inspiring, and learning from one another. It's inspirational to us as leaders.
How can we pray?
Please pray for continued enthusiasm amongst our team and for growing the vision of what Grace London kids could be like in five, even ten years. As our groups grow, we also need more volunteers.
Pray for the children too - that they continue to encounter Jesus every time they step foot in one of our sessions.
Let's pray for Grace London kids, Kat, and the team of volunteers. If you'd like to start serving yourself, head to our website here.