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Anglican Church of Australia -
Diocese of Melbourne |
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Godly Play
For all of us the intent of worship is to experience and praise God. By its very nature corporate worship is participatory. The mode of knowing is by participation. Worship transforms ordinary time and space into sacred time and space. For most of us the experience of God is usually an experience of mystery, awe, and wonder. Worship allows us to encounter and dwell in the presence of God. Thus worship time and space act as a living memorial, a way of bringing both the community’s experience of God from the past and God’s promised future into our present memory, imagination and meaning. Godly Play is a way of being in worship with young children. It is a way of meeting the unique needs of children in the community of the parish. It is a way of ensuring that children are nurtured and celebrated in the sacred time and space of worship. In this way children experience and praise God. Godly Play is also a way that both children and adults can grow in love for God and for one another. It uses a perceptional style of storytelling as a primary means for encountering God, so God is experienced, not just learned about. It gives appropriate freedom, so young children can respond to stories of God through continued working with the story figures and art materials. It enables young children to bring their lived experiences into dialogue with God in the biblical stories. And, remarkably it provides a way for young children to tell the stories of God to others. We use Godly Play for our Kids' Church services and as our way of being in worship with the children in our parish. Come and join us everyone is welcome! Jenny Nelson |
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Christ Church South Yarra, Cnr Punt & Toorak Rds, South Yarra,
Melbourne, Australia. Phone +61-3-9866-4434 |
