As we focus our communications on children, youth and families this month, James Henny, our Diocesan Growing Faith Enabler, writes about how one church is using Lego to connect with children and their families.
To call St Barnabas in Kenilworth a tin shed, is a little uncharitable. Built in the 1880’s, it provided a space for worship for a congregation who had been gathering in an upstairs room above the local Coop store. From the outside it does somewhat resemble a prefabricated scout hut, but the inside tells a different story. With it’s clean white walls and polished wooden floor it is obvious that the building is well used, but also well-loved and well looked after.
For a few years now on Tuesday evenings the church hosts ‘Brick Club’ for children, parents, grandparents and carers who live in the area (and some who travel in just for this!) to come and explore bible stories through the medium of Lego. As soon as you enter the building, you’re welcomed with a smile and the offer of tea, and that sense of welcome continues throughout the session. The programme for the afternoon is fairly simple; first there are drinks and snacks and some ‘free play’ time for the children to build whatever they want to using the plentiful boxes of Lego bricks available. After a while, everyone gathers around some tables to listen to a bible story, after which is an opportunity for the children to discuss what they have heard, and what they think it means, and to ask any questions they have.
The final phase of the afternoon is a build project. The children are encouraged to go back to the boxes of bricks and build something inspired by or related to the story. This week was the story of Abraham and Sarah and their angelic visitors, so there were lots of Lego tents being built.
Brick club is great fun for the children who come, but in reality, they could play just as easily on their own at home. The real draw at St Barnabas is the sense of community and welcome. St Barnabas and St Nicholas share a children and families mission leader who started in the spring of this year and now carries the burden of planning for the sessions. However, alongside them is a team who have been faithfully turning up and running the Tuesday evening session for a number of years. The parents (and grandparents) and children that come are all known to the team and they make sure that no one is left out. One of the girls who sometimes comes along has additional needs and often struggles to join in with the group activities alongside the other children. However, one of the ladies from the church is teaching her to knit, and this young girl will happily sit knitting needles in hand, finding connection and acceptance. It is these simple acts, and a desire to prioritise relationship and a sense of belonging that really makes Brick Club special.