Bubble Church First Baptisms

Bubble Church is an example of a new worshipping community especially for babies, toddlers, and young families. It's a puppet-packed, Jesus-centred, coffee-and-food-fuelled, 30-minute children and families adventure and it’s having an impact! We have two churches in Chester Diocese who have been piloting the materials for the last 3 years.

St Paul’s is one of two churches that has been piloting the national resources for the past three years, and clergy and volunteers alike say they are seeing genuine spiritual growth in families who attend.

St Paul’s runs Bubble Church monthly, sandwiched between its 8.30am and 10.30am services. The format is intentionally simple, with liturgy, joyful worship, prayer, an interactive Bible story, and a hands‑on activity. Leaders describe the material as “easy to use”, “highly engaging for small children”, and “brilliantly resourced” - with minimal preparation required.

The church reports that the initiative has helped grow new leaders, including young people who now volunteer in puppeteering, tech, music, and storytelling.

Average attendance hovers around 40 people, including several young helpers from Years 5–8 and older youth supporting tech and music. Each family sits in their own “bubble”, complete with a small bag of resources such as Play‑Doh and a prayer card. Children are invited to share where they’ve seen God during the week, take part in an action‑packed “warm up”, and respond creatively to the Bible story.

A recent session explored Gideon and the Midianites: after hearing the story told through puppets and props, children used Play‑Doh to make a small heart symbolising God’s love.

This weekend’s baptism marks a significant moment in the life of St Paul’s. Revd Emma Handley says it’s evidence that families aren’t just attending - they’re becoming part of the church family. Some Bubble Church children have already begun to transition into the 10.30am service, which has been thoughtfully adapted to support their continued involvement.

Emma recommends Bubble Church to other churches: “Preparation is minimal. All the teaching and discipleship materials are provided. It works across traditions - simple, repetitive, liturgical, and child‑friendly. Everything is there, and it feels like real church.”

Bubble Church offers ongoing training through four annual sessions as part of its network commitment, and the start‑up costs for the bespoke resources have been described as “small for what you receive”.

Local interest is growing too, with neighbouring churches having already visited St Paul’s to observe the model in action.

You can learn more about the Bubble Church approach and how it might work in your parish by visiting the Bubble Church website.