About me

About me and Godly Play (March 2011):
I'm an immigrant to Finland, leading junior church in English for a small diverse group of international children. I fell in love with Godly Play on a three-day training / accreditation course in late winter, 2010. Soon thereafter, bit by bit, I began "infiltrating" the junior church program with Godly Play stories and ideas. I started this blog when we began to have a complete Godly Play session every Sunday (February 2011).

This is not my occupation; it is something I do in my spare time. But I don't do it alone. My good friend see-through faith has been a pillar of support, helping and encouraging me, especially by being a second responsible adult in the circle each week and by talking through afterwards what worked and what didn't. She also takes many of the photographs that you see on this blog. My husband, "Vandriver", helps set up, break down, and transport materials every week, and is wholeheartedly supportive of what I'm doing. I have bought and/or made all the story materials myself, the church reimburses me for some of the art supplies, and the parents provide food for the feasts.

I'd love also to be doing Godly Play for adults! I've led a one-day retreat for adults, and one morning session for folks from 3 to 73, but right now our children's ministry is where the primary need is. I've tried a few times using Godly Play at our all-ages / family service, but I find it problematic having toddlers in the group.  

About this blog: I started this blog because I wanted to enter conversation with others who are using Godly Play. When I come home from the flea market, thrilled to have found a doll-sized christening gown, I want to be able to post a picture here. But I quickly realized that another important audience for this blog is the parents of the children in my class, as well as other adults in the congregation who are interested, and even some of the relatives of our children who live far away.

Update (summer 2011):  As I announced in this post, I plan to start part-time training for ordained ministry in the Church of England in autumn 2011. This means I'm no longer able to lead Junior Church every week, but the others who volunteer keep to a Godly Play ethos with the room set-up and the way the session proceeds, although they usually read a storybook aloud rather than present a GP lesson. Another welcome development is that we now have access to a storage cupboard on site!

Update (summer 2012): As I explained in this post, we are discontinuing Godly Play for our congregation for a while. This is because I expect to be away for a large part of the coming year, and nobody else feels ready to take it on. Instead, we will have a Play and Pray area for children within our regular services all summer, and revisit the question of Junior Church come autumn.

Update (autumn 2013): I was fortunate to be able to take preliminary training in Catechesis of the Good Shepherd this fall. With fits and starts, the Play and Pray area limps along. Sadly, we do not have the resources (mainly personnel) to carry on with Godly Play, although the children clearly miss it. 

page updated 27 October 2013.