Lessons from Lockdown

Dora the Children’s Worker – lessons from lockdown

Dora (not her real name, nor a real person for that matter) works at St Basil on the Brush Church, Much Binding in the Marsh (OK – they’re not real either!). Like most of us, she has struggled to see her place and role during lockdown, and a short period on furlough did nothing to build her confidence. But now she’s beginning to look forward, reflecting on ten things she has learned about helping families grow in faith during this time.

There’s no rush – the church needs to pause and not rush to get things back to how they were

Children and young people are part of families, so we need to see the family unit as our mission and responsibility

Short and simple have been the most effective in the on-line activities she has produced and recommended

Remember age ranges in families, providing things that connect across generations

Encourage therapeutic discussion and open questions to help families express to their own members what thy feel

Remind parents and carers that they can learn a lot from their children

Visit families frequently to encourage their connection with church and to grow together in faith

Families need ideas that require minimal preparation and resourcing from inside the home

Being outside for family activities connects with God’s creation and the communities the church serves

These are God’s children and families, and God has them in his hands, so prayer for them is really important

Whether we feel like Dora the Children’s Worker or not, perhaps a few of these can help us.