9.30am All-Age Worship

All-Age Worship

Mayfield Salisbury has a busy and vibrant 'Sunday School' with over fifty young people on our children's role.  This takes place as part of our 9.30 All-Age Worship Service each Sunday morning. The church believes that the development of friendship and community within this youth ministry is of great importance, especially as our young parishioners attend a mixture of schools and Sunday may be the only day within the week when they see each other. To that end our experienced leaders create a fun packed learning experience with lots of “hands on learning” and things to do.

We strive to keep our class numbers low, making sure that every young person is noticed and no-one left out of the fun. 
 

Our 'Sunday School' is broken down into age brackets of 0-3, 4-6, 7-8, and 9-11.

These groups work through set syllabuses, including “Roots”, a lectionary based programme offering many varied activities and biblical reference points. The 'Roots' web site gives more detail. The books act only as a guide however which our Sunday School leaders often tailoring sessions to best meet the needs of the Sunday School group with whom they are working. 

Also, over the last few years we have introduced sessions of Godly Play . Godly Play, with its respect for the innate spirituality of the child, complements the other approaches already in use in our Sunday School. It is an imaginative approach to Christian nurture. It is based on Montessori teaching principles but is more like worship than school. It involves creating for children a sacred space in which Bible stories are presented and wondered about in an open-ended way. Creating the sacred space is important.  An uncluttered space invites a quieter mood more likely to result in spiritual engagement. Tables are moved away and a carpet alone defines the space. The story teller sits on the floor and the children are invited to form a circle so all can see.  A Bible story is told slowly and quietly in a reflective manner without interpretation. Every story is illustrated by the use of figures or objects made from wood or fabric. The quality of the materials is high but their design is deliberately simple.  The story is followed by a time of wondering using a range of open-ended questions
 

Those over twelve years old meet as a separate group where they are given the chance to reflect on more grown-up themes, but there is also plenty of activity and fun! Twice a month they have a special Sunday group called 'The Breakfast Club' which is an extended period of time spent in reflection and discussion over breakfast. They are currently working their way through Sparkhouse's series 'Echo the Story.'

Holy Communion is celebrated at the 9.30 Service quarterly and also on Easter Sunday Morning. This is a fully participatory service in which the young people assist the minister by bringing in the elements, and everyone of all ages is invited to come forward to receive.


A group of our young people form a music group which plays occasionally at our 9.30 service.

In September 2017 Hillary Leslie, our Youth Leader, joined us. Among many other initiatives, she has introduced a Youth Service of Worship at 7.00pm on the last Sunday of each month See our Youth page for for more details of this and all other Youth events, and also our Facebook page.

No matter your age or stage Mayfield Salisbury aims to offer you a pertinent ministry.  Whether you are 2, 20, 50 or 90 we hope that, in our provision, you can find a place to make friends, learn and worship.
 

Details of our safeguarding policy can be found on the Safeguarding page.

Every year Mayfield Salisbury holds a Christingle Service on 23rd December. On that evening a large number of families from around the area join us, so it is just as well that willing helpers will have spent the afternoon creating plenty of Christingles!

Carols are sung, the Christmas story is read, the symbolism of the Christingle orange with its candle and sweets is explained, the lights are dimmed and the Christingles lit. As they are carried through the darkened church by young people and adults alike, who can forget the wonder and delight on so many faces? Many then go to the lower hall, where the evening is rounded off with hot chococlate and marshmallows.

There have also been all-church BBQs, quiz nights, ceilidhs and family pilgrimages to Lindisfarne in Northumberland, Inchcolm Island in the Firth of Forth and St Andrews.

More photographs of our 9.30 All-Age worship, Christingle service and other activities such as family pilgrimages can be found in our Gallery