St Bridget’s in West Kirby has struck up a great relationship with their local school in which pupils help out at St Bridget's church centre every Wednesday at 10am.
The centre is a Place of Welcome and opens its doors to the community on Wednesdays from 8:30 – 3pm. They serve tea, coffee, toast and cakes and it’s a very popular destination for the locals. On the day of visiting, most tables were occupied, yet we were told that it was, “quite empty compared with usual.”
At 10am, several children from the local school arrived and donned aprons and immediately began waiting on tables as if it were second nature to them.
The school, St Bridget's C of E Primary School is literally next door to the centre. It’s close proximity to the church is one of the reasons why the arrangement has been possible and is a great example of how churches can build relationships with their local schools and their pupils.
It's an excellent example of how 'Growing Faith' is being enacted in the diocese.
Growing Faith is a call for a shift in attitude and culture so that it becomes second nature for every member of the church to include and value children, young people and households in every aspect of church life for the lifelong formation of faith in the whole of life. You can find out more on our Growing Faith page.
There are smiles all around and it’s evident that both the children and the visitors benefit from the mutual interactions.
In the video below, the Revd Alex Williams, Rector at St Bridget’s, together with Sheena Marriott, a teacher from the school, explain how it works for the benefit of all.