Beyond the Children's Corner with Margaret Pritchard Houston

In this episode I talk to Margaret Pritchard Houston about her new book 'Beyond the Children's Corner', I loved the book and the conversation with Margaret, the whole conversation really resonated with much of my own experience as a Mum of young children and teenagers in church!

Enjoy...

Beyond the Children's Corner is a practical handbook to help churches become more welcoming to children and families in worship.

It encourages PCCs and ministry teams to reflect on the spiritual needs of children, the pastoral needs of families, and how to remove barriers and manage change effectively.

Based on multiple training sessions and extensive casework, informed by research by the Church of England's Life Events team and the Methodist Church, it explores:

* The changing needs of modern families;
* What tells you it's time for change;
* 'Quick wins' to make the worship space more welcoming and spiritually imaginative;
* Engaging children in spiritually nourishing worship;
* Children and contemplative worship - what to do about noise;
* Building and sustaining relationships with families and children.

Many books on All-Age Worship focus the service itself. Beyond the Children's Corner explores how children and adults can be truly integrated as the church community, covering parents' perspectives, the church building and the challenge of change as well as what happens in worship.

Margaret Pritchard Houston is the Children's Mission Enabler for the Diocese of St Albans, and a former parish Children's and Families Worker. She has written for the Church Times, Premier Youth and Childrenswork, and elsewhere, and is the author of "There is a Season: celebrating the church year with children" and "Beyond the Children's Corner: creating a culture of welcome for all ages." When not working, she can be found doing amateur dramatics (outside of pandemic times), trapped under cats, or over on Twitter at @HoustonMargaret

You can find me, Jenni on Facebook @Jennitalks, Instagram @jenni.osborn and new Twitter account @jenni_talks You can also email me if you'd like to be on the podcast: JenniTalks@gmail.com