Pebbles

CONTACT:  Sue Booker
TELEPHONE:  07530 353021
or email via Contact page

 

January 2021 Pebbles Update

After a two-week break, Pebbles restarted on 10^th January 2021. During the Season of Epiphany, we have explored the Baptism of Jesus: looked at Jesus as a bridge between us and God and how Jesus shows us what God is like: how to follow the signs to find out who God is: to explore the power and glory of God. The focus has been very much about getting to know God and, each week, parents have risen to the challenge of exploring the themes with their children and coped with some very challenging artistic tasks.

Baptism of Jesus – parents were asked to talk about baptisms and, where possible, to share family photos and memories of the child’s Christening. Several activities were provided such as colouring a picture of the Baptism of Jesus and making a mobile, which reminds us that the Holy Spirit was present when Jesus was baptised.

 

Prayer: Spirit of the Living God, I believe and trust in you, and want to follow you all my life. Come into my life and live there, so that each day I may know you better and love you more. Amen

 

 

 

To know what God is like and Jesus is like a bridge – Parents and children were provided with 3 challenges. Parents had to use a wax candle to draw some pictures and children had to guess what it was. The fun bit was to use paint to reveal the picture. Eating a carrot, as a parent gave a message was to demonstrate how hard it is to listen when we are busy doing or thinking abo something. Children were asked how they could make sure they hear God: to set a time each day to be quiet and to talk to God about the good and bad things that have happened AND be ready to hear what God tells us.

 

 

 

 

 

 

To follow the signs – looking for and finding God is like a treasure hunt that leads to the prize of really knowing him. A candle, some water and a toy/picture of a sheep was used to share the following: the candle to show that Jesus is the Light of the World and leads the way; water to wash away sins, to stop us being thirsty and to help us grow and that is what Jesus does; the sheep to remind us that Jesus is the Good Shepherd and looks after us throughout our lives. An interactive story telling of the Wedding in Canaan was shared as this was the first miracle and reveals Jesus is the Son of God.

To explore the power and glory of God – going outside, during the day, to look for stars was to understand that the Sun stops us seeing them, in the same way the Glory of God prevents us from seeing him. Feeling the wind against skin was to celebrate how wonderful God is to create human beings: skin to protect and to keep everything inside to show that God knows exactly what we are thinking, even if we are showing something else. One of the challenges was to sit in a dark room, with a torch to talk about when people want the light shining on them (being good) and when they want to hide (being bad) and how Jesus is like a torch showing the good and bad. The story shared was about Jesus looking for people to help him spread the Good News and to show that he knew when some had evil in them and that he could drive it away.

       

         The activities included creating a prayer mat, colouring in pictures of the story and looking for the hidden message by colouring in using the initial letters of the colour…

 

 

 

 

Resources for Candlemas were also shared – pictures and a reference to a video about Simeon and Anna seeing Jesus in the Temple.

Parents share that life, without physically meeting for Pebbles goes on, and the photos below show one of the group getting on with schoolwork and helping Mum.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Third Sunday before Advent

The story of the bridesmaids was shared with the children belonging to Pebbles.

 

Jesus told the story to help people understand that we do not know when God is going to come to us and we have to be ready. We have to be ready and shining brightly in the darkness. God’s spirit is the oil we need to keep on shining brightly. We need to keep topping up with God’s love and we do this by praying, listening to stories about and sharing God’s love with others. IF we forget to talk to God, listen and share his love, then we will become dim and not be ready when God needs us. If we do as Jesus has suggested then we will be ready when God needs us. At some point Jesus will ask us to shine like a light in the darkness by being kind, friendly, thoughtful and generous. It is also about us being truthful, being helpful and cheering each other up. That way we will make this world a much happier place.

They were asked to create a lamp and light it and say the following prayer

Give me oil in my lamp

Keep me burning,

Give me oil in my lamp, I pray,

Give me oil in my lamp,

Keep me burning,

Keep me burning to the

Break of Day

Amen

The picture is of one of the Pebbles children using the lamp to pray.

 

Second Sunday before Advent

A story about Gifts from God was shared with the children and linked to the story of the Talents.

This was part of the resource to help the parent and child complete the worksheet - God loves giving presents and he loves giving us gifts that make us happy and makes others happy. Everyone gets given something that they can be good at. Some people are like Mary and Joseph and are given the skills to be good parents. (What do people need to be good parents?). Others are given abilities to look after animals. (What do people need to be good with animals?) There are people who are good at telling people Good News. (What do people need to be able to spread the Good News). There are so many gifts that God gives – the ability to be friendly, listening, caring, making people smile, painting, learning, teaching… (What other talents/abilities/skills can you think of?)

One of the worksheets, as displayed in the photo was about what the child is good completed by the parent and the child drew a picture of God smiling down at her as she does what she is good at.

 

 

 

 

What a strange six months it has been and I have really missed my weekly sessions with the under 5s and their parents. But I assure you that we have kept in touch and I am pleased to say that we have new members joining us. During our time of separation, we have kept in touch and shared our experiences, whilst keeping an eye on each other. Sadly, it doesn’t look like we will be able to get back together any time soon, so I thought I would share some of our thoughts from over the last six months.

It all started in March with: ‘At an emergency meeting this morning it was agreed that Pebbles had to be suspended with immediate effect and I said I would let you know. As soon as I know it can restart, I will let you know. In the event you need any support, please let me know and, in the event, I can’t help, I will contact someone that can. Do not hesitate to contact me,’ and here we are still waiting but keeping in touch!

When I checked up a few weeks’ later and shared the joy of working in my garden, parents shared the following:

‘Thank you for the lovely message, I was thinking of you this morning and we are both missing you too.’

‘Fingers crossed we will be back soon.’

‘We’ve been enjoying this slowed down version of life and spending time together – making the most of it really.’

‘We are obviously being kept on our toes by ______, but overall, he’s doing very well. I think he just enjoys us being around him all the time, as I do.’

‘Thank you so much for your email and it’s always nice to hear from people outside the house.,

‘______’ is missing Pebbles, every time we pass the Church she says she wishes it was open.’           

In May I emailed everyone: ‘In response to several requests, I am attaching the resources I would have used today for Pebbles. I enjoyed the challenge of working out how to scan a document to my laptop, save it and then pass it on. I have had a test run and I am glad to say that it works! I will endeavour to send resources before each Sunday so that you have time to get back to me if there is an issue. Enjoy. Be aware that there are 6 documents and would be more than I would cover in a Pebbles Session but one of the sheets will give you some guidance and feel free to use as much or as little as you wish. Had I been seeing you, I would have given you a sunflower or runner bean seed for the little ones to grow to emphasise our Friendship with Jesus/God grows and eventually blossoms, produces seeds so that the plant lives on just like our knowledge of Jesus lives on and can be passed onto someone else.’

Since then, I have had the joy of battles with the scanner, which appears to have a mind of it’s own and once I had to resort to ‘snail mail’ to get the resources to the group. But it is all worthwhile when over the last four months I have got comments such as:

‘Thank you very much for the resources. We had a lovely discussion about what Our God is and linked to the idea of friends.’ 

 ‘This is great, thank you so much!’

‘Thank you for this and the last lot.’

‘Thank you for this and for keeping in touch.’

‘Once again, it has led to some lovely discussions with ______. I have attached her ideas(obviously written by me.’

‘_____ and I really love the conversations they create and for a 3 year old, _____ has some lovely thoughts. We have attached a couple of photos of our work from the past couple of weeks.’

‘Once again, thank you so much for spending the time to send the resources through to us.’

‘We’ve had a lovely time doing the activities over the past few weeks.’

‘Just wanted to say a massive thank you for your hard work in sending over the resources over the last few months, ______ and I have enjoyed doing the activities.’

A new family joining the group, in the last week, has reminded me that I need to highlight that Pebbles is very much alive and well. Those who would have normally moved onto Rock Solid have remained on the emailing list, until such time they feel it is time to move on. Several have been in Pebbles since its conception and been such a wonderful example to other children who attend church. I get so much pleasure from my contact with the parents, sharing all my news and hearing theirs. Long may it last.

If you know anyone who has children under the age of 5 and you feel they would appreciate the resources which are provided most weeks, please give my contact details to the parent(s). It would be so good to show that Pebbles continues to grow despite not being able to be physically together.

 

 

 

In the beginning..............

 

Pebbles is run in tandem with the Sunday Adult Service every Sunday at 10am-11am (bar every third Sunday which is a family service). The group meet within St. Laurence-In-Thanet Church in the designated Children’s Area and are left to play (with Parental supervision) until Sue Booker comes to collect them during the Gradual Hymn sung before the reading of the Gospel. Children under the age of 5 are invited to also bring their parents along for this ‘adventure’ in the Thurstin Room.

Understanding that the Children are young they are given an age-appropriate explanation of the main focus of the Adult Service and work on various tasks like colouring and making to explore their faith. The group then re-join the main service where they are invited along with their parents/carers to take Holy Communion or receive a blessing.