Introduction to Godly Play

In Sat, I attended Refresh 2010 on Sat with 8 others from my church.

Refresh 2010 is a children's ministry workshop for CRE teachers, playgroup coordinators and Sunday School teachers, and an opportunity to pick up great ideas for faith activities in schools, homes and churches.

The organizers this year were our brothers and sisters from Barrabool Hills Baptist Church, Highton. The church is set in the beautiful hills near Queens Park and Barwon River in a new estate with the most stunning views I've seen in my time in VIC.




I chose the following as my electives:

• Introducing Godly Play: because the title intrigued me. What does it mean to play in a godly way?
  
• Engaging All Ages in Worship: because I have often wondered how to heal the disconnect between Sunday School and the regular worship service which seems to be too long and boring for the young ones
  
• Using Music with Children: because I love music and believe it can be used in so many ways to pass on the faith e.g. Scripture memory through Steve Green's Hide 'em In Your Heart songs
  

The one most significant takeaway for me was the Godly Play workshop. Godly Play is a Montessori teaching that has been used in faith environments with great success by Jerome Berryman. He has written a number of books on the subject. Our presenter was Christine Rowntree, a dignified, arty-looking lady who immediately gave me the assurance that she knew her subject intimately. She moved in a slow, graceful, intentional way that suggested she was in charge of her surroundings, not the other way round. Wow.

What drew me and inspired me about Godly Play:

• the quiet, contemplative way it is conducted, so different from the sometimes rowdy atmosphere in Sunday School, when you have to struggle to keep the attention of the kids
• how it draws observers into the story with simple props (a golden gift box with wooden or felt figures representing people and objects in the story) and a powerful narrative,
  
• how it effectively engages all ages from preschoolers up to Grades 5 and 6 and all personality types, and
  
• how non-judgmental it is. There are no right or wrong answers, only "wondering questions" which the child can choose to answer (or not), and in the way that most speaks to his heart.
  

It strikes me as a method of sacred storytelling that engages not only the head, but also the heart - and helps the wisdom and the lesson stay there and take root.

I can't wait to talk it through with my fellow Sunday School teachers and to have a go at it myself. I can already see myself doing it.

Here's a You Tube video to help you understand how Godly Play is presented.