Our Next Generation Pathway for 0-18’s
Our Next GenEration Pathway is:
‘The journey that our children and young people take towards Jesus as they grow up’.
This Pathway consists of five core elements, that are values at every stage of the Pathway:
Truth: The Biblical truth that we want to teach our 0-18s to know about God.
Encounter: Providing space for our 0-18s to experience God for themselves.
Family: Encouraging our 0-18s to build relationships across the church body, to ensure a sense of belonging.
Gateways: Ensuring the Pathway is accessible, and that 0-18s are able to join it at any stage.
Milestones: Celebrating certain stages of childhood that children and families can look forward to and celebrate.
Reasoning behind the Pathway:
Currently in the UK, only 50% of children who grow up in Christian homes keep their faith as adults. Also, 57% of those people that leave church, do so between their 10th and 11th birthday. We only have to look at families around us to know these statistics are not distant, but are painfully close. This is not okay, and we believe there is hope beyond this. A hope for all children who are either born into, or brought into, New Community Church to remain lifelong followers of Jesus.
Our pathway groups:
The Pathway groups below are connected to our 10am (Central) Sunday service.
Little ones
Ages 0 – 2 Years
In this first phase we aim to support families, model faith to our little ones and help them belong in the church family. As a pathway, we want to help parents engage with faith as a family unit, encouraging families to model faith to their children. In their groups we place high emphasis on modelling faith, as we believe we are all made to worship and learn about Jesus, no matter what our age. We also prioritise helping the children feel safe through play.
Who it's for: Toddlers aged 1yrs - 2yrs and babies with their adults
What to expect: Play, crafts, worship, Bible stories, and a short teaching and prayer time.
When: Sunday mornings from 10am (except in August). Children join in our all-age worship time in the main hall before going to their group.
Where: Central Hall, Britannia Suite
Children
Adventurers: Age 3 - School Year 2
Trailblazers: School Year 3 - 5
As children enter school, we want them to be learning and encountering Jesus just as they learn to read and write at school. These first years of school are a time of growing in knowledge, and we want our children’s knowledge of God to mirror this. Childhood is also a key time of experiencing and encountering God, so we aim to provide many spaces for children to encounter God. We also want the children to have a strong sense of belonging as they transition to youth; therefore, a key priority is also encouraging the children’s friendships.
Who it's for: Children in the above age groups
What to expect: Fun and games, crafts, Bible stories, teaching, worship and prayer.
When: Sunday mornings from 10am (except in August). Children join in our all-age worship time in the main hall before going to their group.
Where: Central Hall, Hope School classrooms
Youth
School Year 6+
As young people enter year 6, we transition them into our youth phase. This is to affirm belonging in church before big changes happen at school. We have a key focus at this transitional age between Year 6-8, so that we can tailor activities to suit the young people as they transition to adulthood. For all our youth we have age appropriate midweek groups to facilitate discipleship, encounter and friendships. We run an annual weekend away, youth socials, and take part in Citywide youth events, as we aim to equip our young people for a life of faith in Jesus.
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Who it's for: Youth in school years 6-8.
What to expect: An opportunity to explore faith in a fun environment.
When: Every Sunday morning from 10am (except in August). Youth join in our all-age worship time in the Main Hall before going to their group.
Where: Central Hall. Room 4
Older Youth
Who it's for: Youth in school years 9-11.
What to expect: A short talk and discussion time in a relaxed setting. On the 4th Sunday of each month, our older youth serve on team, instead.
When: 1st, 2nd & 3rd Sunday mornings of the month from 10am (except in August). Youth join in our all-age worship time in the Main Hall before going to their group.
Where: Central Hall, Hope School classroom.
Refuel
Who it's for: Youth in school years 6-8.
What to expect: A fun youth group with games, activities, and a thought for the day.
When: Thursday evenings, 7-8.30pm, term-time.
Where: Central Hall
Older Youth Hub
Who it's for: Youth in school years 9+.
What to expect: Opportunity to hang out with friends, pray and explore faith in a relaxed setting.
When: Thursday evenings, 7.30-9:15pm
Where: At homes across the city, contact sara.j@newcommunity.org.uk for the address.
Club Night
Who’s it for: Youth in school years 6-8. What to expect: A chance to hang out, play some pool, table tennis, enjoy some food and have fun! It is a great opportunity to bring friends along who may not come to regular church events. £2.50 entry When: Check Church Suite Calendar Where: The Old Chemist (Bitterne Park Triangle)
Upcoming Youth Events
What: Youth Fest Winter
What to expect:
When: Where: Central Hall.
To get in touch please email the Next Generation Lead & Chaplain : sara.j@newcommunity.org.uk