Children, Families and Young People
Katy Herrera – Families, Children and Youth Advisor
Katy supports parishes to develop faith among children and young people in their homes, schools, and churches across the Diocese. Katy also visits any churches and PCCs that are interested in growing their children and youth ministries or those with existing ministries that are simply in need of encouragement, inspiration, and fresh vision.
M: 07549 209134 E: katy.herrera@chester.anglican.org
Building Faith with LEGO® COMING SOON!!!
Chester Diocese has successfully applied for us to become a Growing Faith Learning Hub, receiving funding of £20,000 to develop our own Building Faith Learning Hub. The aim is to draw together people of all ages from around the diocese who are interested in creating a digital library of resources for families attending brick churches.
Katy said: “We already have lots of Brick churches that use LEGO® or construction bricks in learning activities with children, young people, and families. Often there will be a time to listen to a Bible story and a chance for the participants to create something unique with bricks in response to the story. There may be a brick Bible story video shown. LEGO® is a staple of many home toy boxes, so it is no surprise that it can be used as a creative and relevant way to help children and families to continue to engage with the Bible at home.”
“What we identified at a Bricktivity event in 2024, was a real appetite for good quality faith at home resources incorporating excellent, accessible teaching and ideas for linked LEGO® building activities.”
The Building Faith learning hub will be an opportunity for children and young people to lead in shaping the resources alongside vicars and children’s and youth workers.
The hub will be working with Steve Guiness, The Brick Consultant who is a Christian and retired teacher from Hoole, Chester. He achieved fame on the Channel 4 LEGO® Masters television competition series. Steve will be helping to design brick building activities with instructions for different ability builders, linked to the Bible stories with excellent quality instructions.
Flourish
Flourish is a pilot project to create new missional communities which meet in a school building, working collaboratively with school, children’s ethos or leadership groups, and the local church. There are 42 projects nationally across 14 dioceses, linked with primary, and secondary schools and tertiary colleges. Chester diocese has four of these projects all based in CofE primary schools.
The Chester Diocese Flourish Co-ordinator, Sue Pocock, has worked hard to share good practice, developing a learning community and celebrating successes together.
The launch is progressing well, with three of the four projects successfully launched and the fourth set to launch later in March. Here’s the latest update:
First set of measurements and data have been submitted to the national church Flourish team.
Projects are well supported and have attended the National Flourish team training and our monthly network meetings.
Engagement with other diocesan leads and National Flourish team to share our good practice and learning.
Sue Pocock - Flourish Coordinator
M:07910 777740 E: sue.pocock@chester.anglican.org