This is a question I have heard asked many times over the last few years, by my church as they sought to evaluate the vision of our own holiday club, and by those working within children’s ministry as they emphasise the importance of ongoing activities rather than a once a year event.
As I recover from the exhaustion of our church’s annual summer holiday club, warm in the glow of positive evaluation forms and conversational feedback, I am reminded just how incredibly powerful it can be, and not just in the ways we might expect.
Obviously it is a wonderful opportunity to share our faith with children and families who may not have any other contact with the Christian message. In a society in which Christianity might be considered a minority faith and often gets bad publicity, how wonderful to show those around us that churches are alive and active in our communities.
It is also amazing to be able to welcome so many children into the church, showing them that we value them as individuals, giving them good role models and a safe place to be, which is particularly important for children from difficult and chaotic backgrounds. It is always a joy to see the church full of children having fun.
But, for me, the most important and powerful feature of a holiday club is the relationships built during the week, both with the children and families, and also with others in the church.
It gives us as a church the opportunity to get to know new people and to get to know existing contacts better. A holiday club gives the space to have conversations in an environment where families are in less of a rush than during term-time, and creates and strengthens links with families who might not otherwise have any contact with the church.
It’s not just about inviting families to other events, although that is important, and allows us to have a more ongoing relationship with them. It’s about building those links so that when we see them in the post office, we can ask them how they are, and so that when they are in need, we can offer to pray for them and support them. It’s about valuing them for who they are, and caring about them,reflecting God’s love for them.
In addition, holiday clubs enable those who help to get to know each other better, and therefore deepens our relationships. We grow closer together as a church, as we come together to achieve a common goal.
At our holiday club, we started with a prayer time each morning, which brought us all together to focus on God, and share together anything we were finding difficult or wanted to be thankful for. What I enjoyed about these times was the opportunity to connect with one another on a meaningful level but in a relaxed way, where laughing together as a team provided a bonding experience that filled my heart with joy and reminded me of God’s presence in our relationships and how thankful I am for my church family.
I am so grateful for the opportunities holiday club has brought us and will continue to bring, to get to know others through loving service, and be there for those in need.
Emma Hughes is Children’s and Families Worker at St Richard’s Hanworth.