Hollie Bryant, one of the Christ Church Peckham Children’s leaders reflects on their holiday club.
This summer, we opened up the doors of Christ Church Peckham with help from a partner church in the US, for four days of fun with the primary school children in our area. Over 80 children joined us across the four days, coming with so much energy, curiosity and joy. Each day was packed with Bible study, songs, games, and crafts, giving the children engaging, age-appropriate ways to encounter God together.
At the core of our holiday club is our passion for reaching young people and helping them know the love of Jesus. We want children to understand how much Jesus loves them personally, not just through their families. We’re also acutely aware that reaching children is often a gateway to reaching whole families; when a child comes home full of light, excited about what they’ve learned and curious about God, it can spark curiosity in parents and can ultimately lead to restoration in families.
One of the most moving parts of holiday club is watching children who wouldn’t normally set foot in a church walk through our doors, many for the very first time. We witnessed them asking honest questions about Jesus, and we get to watch seeds being planted that we trust God will grow in His timing.
Alongside the holiday club, we ran Mums’ Corner; a dedicated space where mums could gather, hear about Jesus, and be honest with one another about the realities of life. It became a place of real vulnerability, where mums shared each other’s burdens rather than carrying them alone, and many told us how healing and powerful this time was for them.
We’d really encourage all churches to consider hosting a summer club, the impact reaches far beyond the children in the room. We really saw God moving in the space and we’re confident that it will go on to bless our whole community.
If you’re thinking about engaging ways to reach young people, maybe for the first time, contact the children and young people team on [email protected].
