1. n ews
Do boys
Summer 2011
Thinking back to the craft activity, the girls
results come from their desire to please
hate craft? the leader, and to do it ‘right’, so it’s
best for them to do exactly as they have
The curious case been shown. (Girls brains are significantly
of the 13-eyed- larger than boys in the emotional areas—
stereotypes do come from somewhere!
alien from space.
—relationships/ pleasing others is crucial.)
ECG (ecgevent.org.uk) is
a conference we’ve been Boys however like the freedom to ‘take
involved in for a few years a risk’, to stick an extra bit of felt on the
and where we’ve had great top and see if it looks like a giant afro! If
fun leading all-age and 7-11’s work there. In one of the kids sessions this Easter, it doesn’t work or looks stupid then it
I was fascinated by one particular craft activity... the making of finger puppets. will just be rejected as a failed attempt
without a second thought, or even made
We split the 9-11 girls and boys into single sex groups for small group activities,
into something more ridiculous because
and following the games it was time for craft—all neatly laid on a sheet on the
it’s funny! They need the freedom to move
floor. First up: the girls. The puppets were lovingly and carefully made as precise
around (perhaps on a mat on the floor)
replicas of the example that Hannah (who had prepared all the craft) had made,
to get something or show someone their
even matching the hair, ‘skin’ and nose(!) colour! Next up: the boys. It couldn’t have
creation so far!
been more different! I’ve never seen such variety! They excitedly created puppets
with giant afros, 13-eyed-aliens from space, lions with crazy manes, men with weird Let’s do our best to think outside the box a
and wonderful beards and even one poor puppet with a massive green nose! bit and think how we can do things that will
help our boys to engage as well as our girls
A simple activity giving children the freedom to create what they wanted confirmed
do… maybe single sex groups are the way
much of what we’ve been thinking recently with regards to girls and boys (particularly
forward?! Hmmm... the curious case of the
age 7+) and how incredibly different they are.
13-eyed-alien from space continues...
Boys don’t hate craft as the title of this page implies… I believe what boys actually
For more reading on this stuff check out
struggle with is long, complicated, prescriptive crafts in which they are required to
Slugs & Snails & Puppy Dogs Tails by
be still and ‘trapped’ around a table (which so many craft activities seem to be).
Carolyn Edwards, The Wonder of Girls
On our travels we often hear phrases like: ‘We have such trouble with the boys’; and The Wonder of Boys both by Michael
‘The boys are so easily distracted’, ‘They just can’t sit and listen, or sit and do Gurian.
anything!’. This really saddens me. I feel like we’re letting our boys down and
criticising them for being just who God has created them to be.
Jo Squires
There are always exceptions, but studies show that in the genetic make-up of boys Co-director
is the desire for risk and activity. Confining boys to a small area and asking them to
sit still for long periods, is highly likely to result in fidgeting and ‘disengagement’. This
is not because they are ‘naughty’ but, rather, because they have an inbuilt desire to
be active and take risks. How much space is there in our Sunday mornings to be
really active and how comfortable would be allowing that to happen?
Little people. BIG God.
BIG Ministries
Unit 4, West Court, Buntsford Park Road, Bromsgrove, B60 3DX
t: 01527 556639 e: info@bigministries.co.uk w: bigministries.co.uk
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) “10 BIG Bible Stories is
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Who is God?’
10 BIG Bible Stories: Volume 3 is now available for Volume 1 01 Creation
02 Noah over
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South Molton Baptist Church
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from Volume 1 led us to believe that it would be a good idea to write some more... and involve all children.”
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so we did. It was definitely a lot of fun to write, but also, I’ve come to realise that the Bible 02 Jacob & Esau
Rachel
Holland
you South Molton Baptist Churc
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is quite complex—who’d have thought? Therefore, a fair amount of study has gone into know that
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BIG 06 The Woman Healed on the Sabbath
the 10
a book that’s factually correct (I hope). The Bible is indeed a one-of-a-kind book and we, series!
Stories 07 Kingdom of Heaven Parables
08 Jesus Clears the Temple
at BIG Ministries, hope that the 10 BIG Bible Stories series will aid other people in better 09 Nicodemus
10 Philip & the Ethiopian
understanding it’s amazing messages. [James Rubacki]
kids have said
e of the things
Here are som
Pssst.
..
numb There are
e a appropriate)
in the r of song
found: (tick as
that we have
BIG T writers
confusing
Damia eam
challenging q
n bu
the ke Herbert is t
q amusing q
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proce person in
ss so the clean water?
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ople who don’
story th
of ho is is the
w he do to help pe sert in Africa
and
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. 4 What can we ter over the de
to fly a helicop em.”
“Get my dad of water for th
drop buckets
rship
4 8-year-old: Woatever you
wh
means to “do
you can, for
can, as well as e Him.”
God, be cause you lov
We use th at one a lot.
ou’re not
4 To Damian: “Y ally.
funny.” (H e is actu
Sometimes.)
penned an
4 A 5-year-old ale
including fem
excellent song
d to ilet humour.
Owen & C Super lovely pho
haris War to
rell // oacp by our friends
body parts an
Inside BIG Ministries’ Pop Factory out a window
hotography
4 While looking s arms out a
.com
and stretching hi ice as
y said in a vo
6-year-old bo
AKA The Guest Room low as Barr y White’s “Jo,
look at
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erful wooorld
God’s wooond
I call it my studio. Kate calls it the computer that resembles a backing track; I finish the lyrics and record allenging
4 4-year-old ch
Guest Room... and sometimes it is. vocals over the top. Goliath to a fight to the
Either way there is a room in our death.
I, then, pop it on my iPod® and play it to the BIG Team and a few s dressed as
house where the songs begin. 4 When Baz wa g to be lost
select little people for their opinions. There’s always something to be ndin
a sheep prete led
3-year-old sid
For me, there isn’t a set formula for improved and this critique leads to better songs. The song is critiqued and lonely a
: “I’ll be
up to him and said
writing songs. Sometimes it starts and rewritten until it is truly finished and ready for wider consumption. your friend”.
with a melody, sometimes a few bly of
God is in the whole process; In the initial spark of inspiration and 4 A whole assem story and
e th
chords and sometimes a couple of kids misheard
the hours of creative labour, in His Word as I try to understand and it was about
lines that popped into my head in thought that
e Meteorites.
communicate truth, in the critique of friends and in the room as I cry Gideon and th
the shower. Sounds exciting...
out “O God, why can’t I find a rhyme for purple?”
girl speaking
I build the song around that snippet 4 A 7-year-old robot/Dalek
So that’s how we make a song, it’s that quick and easy! We promise ing
into a fan, do
by playing guitar, writing lines in impressions
saying...
the next BIG Album is on its way. It’s just staying in our Guest Room for dare you.
one of my countless notebooks “I am a robot, how
you.
a while... [Damian Herbert] I am a ro bot, how dare
and by piecing together different how dare you.
I am a robot,
instrument parts using computer • Let us know what sort of stuff you think we should be writing about... etc etc...”
software. Sometime later (even girl:
• Also, if you have some really cool recording equipment to donate... 4 A 4-year-old
erything.
weeks!), I have something on the damian.herbert@bigministries.co.uk “If God made ev
e chairs?”
Did God mak

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Gaffer Tape BIG Inclusion
Is there anything it can’t do? Everybody’s welcome
You may have heard urban myths of gaffer tape being used as In all-age services we often sing a song called Everybody’s
bandages or fixing broken aeroplane wings. But isn’t building Welcome and we all know that’s true but what does it mean and
a giant photo frame or a life-sized cardboard vending machine how do we do it?
much more important than that?
I get so excited when I see a group of people all worshipping
Here at BIG Ministries, we make a lot of props for our stories and together but doing things in a way that is most appropriate and
games. Baz has grand ideas, and then has to watch his vision relevant for them.
being hurriedly knocked together out of cardboard, gaffer and
Being created in the image of God means we all have something
marker pens. It’s amazing what you can build — golden calves,
unique and valuable to contribute.
the walls of Jericho, the sun, whales, bicycles, wings (you know,
for flying)... all held together with lashings of gaffer. At BIG Ministries we feel very passionate about inclusion and want
to ensure that when we are doing an event we are catering for
Early on in the days of BIG Ministries, it was decreed that every
the specific needs of everyone! Inclusion is about providing equal
equipment box should have a roll of gaffer inside. Whether you’re
opportunities and celebrating the differences between us. We are
sticking cables to the floor, fixing ripped trousers (it happens) or
all different and so we need different things.
building an Ark of the Covenant, you need it! And yet, at events,
you’ll always hear someone asking, “Anyone seen the gaffer?”... We use a ‘safe space’ (a comfortable area slightly away from the
[Sarah Joy] main activities) to enable everyone to participate. Here a child can
be calm and quiet, or jump around if that’s what they need to do!
We have lots of activities to support people who find it difficult to
We REALLY need your engage with an upfront programme. We want everyone to know
We love what we
help! they are welcome, accepted and valued. [Louise Edgell]
do and the fact that we
reach so many
kids with the life-chang
ing good news of Jesus.
ministry has grown, so As the
too have our financial Who am I?
needs. It costs us aro
und £4,500 a month s about 3 years
function, around £1,75 to I am Steve and I joined BIG Ministrie
0 of which is given by I was there right from
our ago—although, as Jo’s husband,
fantastic team of sup evil plans for world
porters (events being
our the beginning as she concocted her
other main source of inc
ome). domination in our spare bedroom.
opposite. When I say
As things currently sta [When I say ‘evil’ I mean entirely the
nd we are looking at know what I mean,
deficit of up to £7k for a ‘world’ I mean... well, I don’t really
the financial year 2011 it just sounded good.]
We would love for you /12.
to consider being part istries?
resolution to this proble
m and helping us to contin
of the Why do I hang out with BIG Min
is packed
ue out with BIG Ministries because it
to grow. An increase
of £750 each month I am very proud to say that I hang
would sharing this ministry! Initia lly I joined BIG
put us in a much healthi
er position. We have aro full of my friends with whom I love has gone by
800 people on our mailin und Ministries to help my wife fulfill her God-given ministry but as time
g list so if just 25% of tho I too have been able to use my gifts.
gave just £5 a month se I have found it to be a place where
we’d easily meet our
target
What do I do? (at BIG things)
(or if everyone gave £1
... etc!). [Steve Squires]
ng
ts, designing publicity, editing, writi
Please prayerfully cons I work in the office: preparing for even events
ider s on the ‘money side’ of things. At
how you could help. songs (sometimes), and often focu ing or
ie-zone’ or narrating stories or sing
I’m often found residing in the ‘tech is, in
As a little incentive (alt ng that putting equipment in the van
do the maths it works
hough I know if you ‘puppetting’ or teaching or pretendi
out more expensive)
we’ll be giving away a actual fact, a giant game of tetris...
free CD or 10 BIG Bible
BIG Ministries?
Stories 2 or 3 when you What do I think when I think of
and
loads of cool gifts in leading children
partner with us.
I think of how God has given my wife
Just complete and retu that seeks to enable others to do the same.
how cool it is to be part of a charity
10 new interactive Bible stories
each told in 3 different ways. rn
An adaptable resource for use with
children and all-ages.
the form overleaf.

4. Why not stick this to
your fridge as a
d!
i ndee
e
i dea
ea
able
a
reminder to pray
n
as o
a
ry re
li k e a ve
k
for us?
ms
m
se e
->
t h is
s
Recently Soon
..
.
m.
mm
Hm
we’ve been here... we’ll be here...
Keep up to date with what we’re up to by visiting: bigministries.co.uk
Training & All-age, Riverside Birmingham BIG Weekend, Cambray
22 January 2011 (Sat-Sun) 18 June 2011 (Sat-Sun)
BIG Weekend, Redditch Churches Together BIG Party, Wellingborough
29-30 January 2011 (Sat-Sun) 24 June 2011 (Fri)
Children’s Ministry Conference, Eastbourne
4 February 2011 (Fri-Sun)
*Stars BIG Strategy Day, Birmingham
25 June 2011 (Sat)
our favourites from
Training & BIG Party, South Molton the last wee while... Cathedral Services, Birmingham
26 February 2011 (Sat) 4 July 2011 (Mon-Fri)
BIG Party, Thomas Aquinas, Birmingham Spring Harvest 2011 HOLIDAY, OFFICE CLOSED
16 March 2011 (Sat) Skegness Weeks beginning 11 & 18 July 2011
We were really excited to be invited to be
BIG Party, Guildford BIG Party, Sheffield Community Church
19 March 2011 (Sat) involved in Spring Harvest. The team led two
30 July 2011 (Sat)
daily all-age celebrations on the theme of
BIG Weekend, Barnsley All-age, Barnt Green
Route 66 (the Bible!). We also did an acoustic
26 March 2011 (Sat-Sun) 31 July 2011 (Sun)
set in the Skyline (exhibition area), led a BIG
*SpringApril 20112011, Skegness
Harvest Party for families, helped host the Big Start Detling Conference 2011, Detling
Printed on FSC approved paper. From well-managed forests.
9 (Sat-Thu) 6 August 2011 (Sat-Thu)
each morning and celebrated Matilda’s first
ECG Conference, Llandudno birthday (and Kate’s too, although it wasn’t BIG Holiday Club, Hoylake
28 April 2011 (Thu-Mon) her first). We had a great team and a lot of 22 August 2011 (Mon-Fri)
Protecting the home of the Golden Lion Tamarin.
Big Church Day Out, Wiston House fun at this brilliant annual event. BIG Holiday Club, Holcombe Brook
28 May 2011 (Fri-Sun) 30 August 2011 (Tue-Fri)
*BIG Holiday Club, Bedford
30 May 2011 (Mon-Sun)
BIG Party, Warfield Churches Together
12 June 2011 (Sun)
Bedford Holiday Club
Christ Church Bedford
It was great to work with the team at
Christ Church Bedford in delivering our
BIG Academy holiday club. Stories, puppets,
songs, rotation (where we go around in
Book us now!
teams doing loads of different activities).
We had a fantastic host home too!
Our heart is to serve churches all over the UK.
We offer BIG Parties, All-age Services, and Training.
Call us to chat about how we could help you: 01527 556639.
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