J4U ( Jesus for You) 👨👩👦👦 😀
This is a very informal fun-filled family service. It involves songs, 🎶 musical instruments 🥁 for all, fun, stories, prayers 🙏 and a whole lot more. It is aimed at children and their families and is usually held on the 4th Sunday in the month at 11.15 am. Refreshments served from 11.00 am.
Our next J4U service is on Sunday 25th October
Free tickets are now available for St Mary’s Church Children’s Light Up the Church Event on Monday 27th October from 4.00 pm
Our joyful Light Up the Church event is an alternative to Halloween. We’ll be celebrating the light at a time of year when the darkness is often celebrated. It has been organised by our team of children’s workers and is for accompanied children aged 5—11.
There will be crafts, activities, fun, refreshments and goodie bags for children.
It is free, but it is for ticket holders only so we can manage numbers and resources. We are offering bookable half hour slots. Only children’s tickets need to be booked.
Free places now bookable on Eventbrite: Click here to book.
We look forward to welcoming you. Monday 27th October from 4.00 pm at St Mary’s Church
Past Events for Children and Families
Sunday 31st August Back to School Service 📚✏️
We had a busy, informal service aimed at children and families marking the occasion of children going back to school and starting new classes in 2025. The service included a story, craft and lively praise and worship.
We were thinking about sharing God’s love.
Friday 22nd August 2025 🌳 Children’s Creation Celebration
To celebrate God’s beautiful creation, St Mary’s Church team of family workers arranged a wonderful event in Eastham Woods for children and families.
Local families booked slots through Eventbrite and children took part in activities, including: a scavenger hunt🔍, face painting, bark rubbing , leaf rubbing🍁☘️, making bird 🐦feeders and 🦔hedgehog craft.
For the last hour ‘A – Z Zoo’ presented a wonderful range of animals for children and families to see and enjoy. There were goodie bags to take home with Christian activities and crafts.
A jolly good time was had by all!
Children’s Area in St Mary’s Church
There is a children’s area at the back of church with books and toys for families to use with their children. Most Sundays, colouring and other craft activities are provided for children and young people who would like to use them.
There are bags at the back of church with toys, books, drinks and snacks. They have been prepared for children of different ages.
School Visits
We are delighted to have the opportunity to welcome school children to visit our church. Children from Millfields C of E Primary School and Heygarth Primary School visited St Mary’s for Easter 2025.
They learned about the real story of Easter and learned that Freddie the Easter Bunny is not in the Bible!
The schools had also visited in June 2025. Below are some extracts from letters of thanks received from children in Y2 of Heygarth Primary School.
