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Denominational/Regional Leader

Mess Makes Meaning Podcast

Caring for young children's spirituality is a delicate balance and can often be made    more difficult when we grown-ups don't care for ourselves. Struggling through religious or church related trauma or even feelings of inadequacy when it comes to answering our children's big questions. 

At Mess Makes Meaning we are here to equip the parents/caregivers to remind them and their children they are deeply loved by interviewing some guests who are professionals in this vital work. With relatable humor from hosts and guests alike, this podcast is for you and created by Godly Play®  

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The Godly Play Lectionary Companion

Over time, educators and worship leaders have expressed a desire for a resource that aligns Godly Play more intentionally with the Revised Common Lectionary.  This companion provides a helpful framework for those wishing to connect the curriculum and the Church’s cycle of readings.

Some may choose to use something other than the Revised Common Lectionary (e.g., the Narrative Lectionary, the Women’s Lectionary). A Scripture Index is also included that may be helpful when looking for a story that aligns with a particular passage. 

Access the Lectionary Companion here.

Growing Support for Your Fledgling Program

The most effective way to bring Godly Play to your church is to do your research, learn some stories, and then take them to every meeting and event possible! As you do this work, it is important to explain that the story you are about totell is just one piece of the overall Godly Play session. But hopefully it will be intriguing enough that you gain support for your new program.

You can also print a What Is Godly Play? handout and bring it to your church's governing body to give them a sense of what your goals.

Fundraising may be an integral part of starting or re-starting your Godly Play

Setting up your Godly Play Space

SPACE

Ideally you will start with a clean room with blank walls, however, it may take some work to clear a space to build the sacred space of the Godly Play environment. Remove chalkboards and bulletin boards, clean the carpets or buff the floors, take down busy artwork or wall decorations.

For an inspiration, check out the PowerPoint of Godly Play Spaces at All Saints' Episcopal in Fort Worth, TX!

Also, check out our diagrams for how to set up your space and arrange the stories.

 

SHELVING

Beautiful shelving that is low enough to make materials accessible and wide enough to accommodate materials is

Investing in your Godly Play Team

Program longevity corresponds directly to number of well-trained Godly Play leaders. Because Godly Play is a dynamic, spiritual practice, training is essential to every Godly Play program.

We recommend that all adults in the Godly Play room attend Core Godly Play training before beginning to teach Godly Play. Core training equips Storytellers and Doorpersons with the skills and processes to lead Godly Play sessions with children.

Administrators such as clergy and Christian Ed Directors will also benefit from attending Core training, especially when setting up a Godly Play room. Core training

Getting Ready to Start your Godly Play Program

Start your program with the pedagogical and theological understanding Godly Play.  For a successful Godly Play program, you will want to have everything in place before the initial launch. This takes some time. From research to support to funding to training to building your Godly Play space, four months to a year is not an unusual amount of time to set up a fully functional program. 

Core Training is highly recommended for all storytellers during this set up phase, and connecting with a Licensed Godly Play Trainer for consultations, demonstrations. and introductory workshops is something new