Not at school yet?    


Why not bring a parent or carer to ‘Little Lights’ – stories, songs and games with a Christian theme, and fellowship and refreshments.  This happens on Wednesday mornings in school term time 10.00am to 11.30am.  Come when you can for as long as you can! 

For those who go to school - After school on Fridays 

On Friday evenings we have a comprehensive children’s and youth programme – there are groups suitable for all children of school age - from 5 years old to 18 years, and we have regular youth services.  



Free Spirits     

Free Spirits was started in September 2006 to offer a form of 'Sunday School' but on a weekday to take into account those children for whom attending church on a Sunday is not easy. We have 30 children ranging from 5 to 10 and meet on a Friday in the Junior School hall from 4.00pm - 5.00pm.

We start with a drink and biscuit and sit in a circle for a prayer and then talk about our 'Rays of sunshine and muddy puddles' from the week. We usually have a theme for each half term; these have included Noah's Ark, Joseph, various parables (Jonah and the whale was a huge favourite!) and of course the Easter and Christmas story. We do a range of crafts and games to help understanding and the children never cease to amaze us with their talents.

We have developed a link with a school in South Africa in a region of Cape Town called Khyalisha. This is a township which has dreadful poverty but the children are an inspiration. The school is called Hopolang Primary and we exchange emails and cards and letters. The children of Free Spirits made a beautiful material banner of their hand prints which was taken over and hung up in the school. Over the years this link has strengthen with the help of Revd Bill Weaver who carries out the most inspiring work in South Africa. His charity has started a feeding programme to ensure that some of the most deprived children receive one nutritious meal a day at school. We have received the most beautifully written letters from our link school along with posters which we will proudly be displaying. For more information on Hopolang Primary School please look at their separate page.

Free Spirits recently took part in the All Age Service at St Johns where we were joined by Bill who updated the congregation on his work. The theme was The Good Samaritan the children performed a wonderful sketch in place of the reading and also wrote their own prayers. We are very proud of them all!

Genesis, Oasis and the Nomads 

Genesis - school years 5 and 6    5.45pm - 7.00pm fortnightly in St John’s Church. 

Oasis - school years 7 and 8     7.15pm - 8.30pm fortnightly in St John’s Church.

Nomads - school year 9 upwards 7.15pm - 8.30pm fortnightly in Stamford Bridge Rectory. 

Fish and chips in the park

The youngsters from Genesis, Oasis and the Nomads enjoyed a sunny bike ride along route 66 to Dunnington park.This is an off road ride with the added difficulty of trimmed hedges which provoked a number of punctures.  After eating the fish and chips a very happy time was spent on the wonderful equipment in the park before riding back again. Everyone felt that this had been a very successful expedition.



A Visit to Bishopthorpe Palace
(Contributed by one of the youths who went)

On Saturday 18th June 2011 there was a festival at Bishopthorpe Palace celebrating a Christian day - Gods Big Beautiful World. There many fun and exciting activities such as: the night line, the climbing wall, the drum session, the short service and ALL the stalls!

Night line was an exciting activity in which you were blind folded and you had to go, in a small group, around an obstacle course (by following a rope)! It was through trees and branches so we had to wear helmets. W e had a really good time doing this activity and had a good laugh watching other people bump into trees!

 The climbing wall was a fun event where we had to climb a rocky wall in a harness. It had hands and feet holes to make it easier; though this didn’t seem to make it much easier at all! It was very hard to climb, but it was really, really fun!

The drum session was a short lesson telling you how to play different types of drums. At the end of the session you got to march around Bishopthorpe palace gardens playing them. It was SO much fun!

The service was at the end of the festival; it was just before every one packed up and went home. It was great for all ages: we had prayers, songs and so much fun! There was one song that everyone got involved with- it was called Our God Is A Good God.

 All of the stalls were great! There was one stall people gave you some string and helped you make it into a friendship bracelet. There were lots of other cool stalls such as: beaded jewellery making and a tea and coffee stall that sold crisps and juice and of course, tea and coffee.

Sport 







On the in between weeks, we do sporting activities - ask for more details. As well as these, we have great fun with trips away. We regularly meet up with children and young people in the Diocese of York.


For more information visit http://www.dioceseofyork.org.uk and click on Children and Youth.
  




 Year of the environment off to a flying start!

The conservation programme for Stamford Bridge in Bloom got off to a tremendous start with a community churchyard tidy up and bird box bonanza on Sunday 30th January. 2011 has been designated Year of the Environment by the Diocese of York and the village in bloom group is teaming up with St John’s Church to collaborate on a number of conservation projects in the Parish.

In December Archbishop of York John Sentamu sent out a bird nest box to every church to mark the start of the Diocesan campaign, as one of the themes is conservation.  In the Rectory, a plan was hatched for three youth groups in the church, Genesis, Oasis and Nomads to make more boxes to put up in the churchyard. Encouraged by Stamford Bridge in Bloom’s conservation coordinator Tim Burkinshaw, the Vicar, Rev. Fran Wakefield and youth leader Andrea Palin marshalled help from all quarters to obtain materials and prepare ‘flat pack’ bird boxes for the young people to assemble and asked the congregation to sponsor them. Tim gave a talk to the children at their weekly meeting to explain how the boxes will help Tree Sparrows, a species of concern to conservationists which can be found in Stamford Bridge. He also enthused them about other opportunities to improve habitats in the churchyard before helping them put finishing touches to the boxes. On Sunday afternoon a thirty-strong taskforce of young volunteers braved the cold to do their bit for the environment. Sixteen new nest boxes, specially designed to suit Tree Sparrows, were put up around the churchyard during a 2 hour blitz by the young people helped by parents and volunteers from Stamford Bridge in Bloom.  Children also raked leaves into big heaps, collected fallen branches and dead wood to make habitat piles for invertebrates. They also helped to plant 250 daffodil bulbs in the churchyard and a bird feeding station was established using home-made pine one feeders also made by the young people.

A great sense of achievement was felt by all and in just two hours all the tasks were accomplished.  The churchyard not only looks tidier but is now brimming with habitats for invertebrates and birds - a magnificent community effort by all involved.