Hearing the voice of children and young people in churches, schools and homes
As a diocese, three years ago we wholeheartedly endorsed a vision and strategy for children, young people and families, Disciples Together, which challenged us to put children, young people and families at the centre of a more Christ-like Church.
Many around the diocese helped us then to understand the cultural shifts that have happened in the world around us and the changes we need to put in place to connect and inspire children and young people today.
The COVID pandemic has brought significant challenges to our mission with and among children, young people and families with further evidence of increased disconnection between them and the Church.
The national Church is making available considerable funding over the next nine years specifically to enable the church to re-engage and build our mission and ministry among and with children, young people and families. We are under no illusion of the scale of the challenge this represents
As a diocese, we are looking to shape a bid for submission in the autumn, and your contributions will be vital to the process. We are therefore looking to consult widely across the diocese so as many as possible can contribute to this process of discernment as to how we respond to and identify the resources we will need.
Three years ago, we wholeheartedly endorsed a vision and strategy for children, young people and families, Disciples Together, which challenged us to put children, young people and families at the centre of a more Christ-like Church.
Our prayer remains for a deep transformation in the life of the Church in relation to children, young people and families over the next decade.
How you can get involved
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Enable us to hear the voice of children and young people in churches, schools and homes
Click the [+] below to see how children and young people can get involved.
Hearing from children & young peopleThe Church of England is seeking to grow ‘younger and more diverse’. In the Diocese of Oxford, the cultural shifts identified in Disciples Together are enabling us to see the green shoots of new growth beginning to emerge. The Church of England vision for growth is bold and challenging but considerable funding is being made available to dioceses over the next nine years specifically focussed on mission and ministry with children, young people and families.
We are currently in a process of listening and discerning the best way forward to help churches grow what they are called by God to be and do with children, young people and families. Hearing directly from children and young people is a critical part of the process.
We invite responses to the questions below. These could be written by the child or young person themselves, or an adult if needed, but please don’t edit what they say. Responses could also be filmed, photographed or pictorial, as long as we can understand and derive meaning from them.
Please email responses including scans of writing/pictures.
Please upload videos to this Dropbox.
Please note that by uploading a video or photo, you are consenting for this to be used and shared by the Diocese of Oxford. Please make sure you have permission from the child or young person's parent or guardian.
Deadline: All contributions must reach us by 5pm on Friday 9 June 2023.
Notes to adults:
- Please don’t lead responses by adding words or your own questions.
- Please give space for the children/young people to reflect and think about their answers. Hold the silence (for those who need it) or enable discussion as appropriate (some of them will be external thinkers).
- Don’t worry if their answer seems rude or inappropriate to you. We want to hear what they think in their own words where possible.
Questions with children in Primary School:
- When do you feel closest to God?
- Are there things that you do at school that help you feel close to God, that you wish you could do in other places?
- Tell us about any ways church helps people in need. Do you or other children help with this?
- If you had one wish about your church, what would that be?
- How can your church help you to become more like Jesus?
Questions with young people in Secondary School, VI Form or FE:
- When do you feel closest to God?
- What is it that the church doesn’t know it doesn’t know?
- How can your church help you to become more like Jesus?
- Are there any activities or practices that help you feel closer to God and grow deeper in faith?
- If you had £5k to spend on sharing your faith with your friends/community, what would you spend it on?
- What are the main issues in your world that you want to make a difference in/to?
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Attend a Consultation Event on Zoom
We are hosting a number of consultations on Zoom. Click [+] to expand the lists below and click the date to book that session.
AprilFriday 28 April, 2-3pm
Rural clergy
MayTuesday 2 May, 2-3pm
Open consultation
Tuesday 9 May, 7-8pm
Churchwardens/PCC members
Tuesday 9 May, 8.15-9.15pm
Open consultation
Monday 15 May, 11.15am-12.15pm
Open consultation
Monday 15 May, 7-8pm
Those who volunteer with children & young people
Monday 15 May, 8.15-9.15pm
Open consultation
Monday 22 May, 7-8pm
School leaders/teachers/governors
Monday 22 May, 8.15-9.15pm
Open consultation
Wednesday 24 May, 2.30-3.30pm
Rural clergy
Tuesday 30 May, 2.30-3.30pm
Urban clergy
Tuesday 30 May, 7-8pm
Partners
Tuesday 30 May, 8.15-9.15pm
Those who volunteer with children & young people
JuneWednesday 7 June, 7.30-8.30pm
Partners
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Send us your response to the consultation questions
Click the [+] below to see how adults can get involved.
Hearing from adultsThe Church of England is seeking to grow ‘younger and more diverse’.
In the Diocese of Oxford, the cultural shifts identified in Disciples Together are enabling us to see the green shoots of new growth beginning to emerge. The vision of the Church of England to grow is bold and challenging but considerable funding is being made available to Dioceses over the next nine years specifically focussed on mission and ministry with children, young people and families.
We are currently in a process of listening and discerning the best way forward to help churches grow what they are called by God to be and do with children, young people and families. Hearing from a wide variety of stakeholders is a critical part of the process.
We therefore invite responses to the questions below. Responses can be written and emailed or even sent on short video messages.
Please upload videos to this Dropbox. Please note that by uploading a video or photo, you are consenting for this to be used and shared by the Diocese of Oxford.
Deadline: All contributions must reach us by 5pm on Friday 9 June 2023.
- Where is your parish currently engaging with children and young people?
- What are the unique opportunities and challenges in your context?
- How are you helping people to grow young disciples and what might support you to do that?
- What are you noticing or doing already, that with added resource could be developed or grown?
- If funding/time was available, what new thing would you want to try?
Please note that Messy Church leaders, employed Children, Youth & Family Ministers, and Area Deans and Lay Chairs will be invited to specific consultancy gatherings.