Introducing Little Luke’s: Launching Next Thursday ~ Serena Stanton

We are delighted to announce the launch of Little Luke’s, our new weekly Thursday group for babies, young children and their grown-ups in our Church Centre.

Little Luke’s brings together the heart, care and vision of our much-loved groups Chatterbox, Little Stars and Little Treasures into one joined-up ministry for families. As we begin this new chapter, we want to say a huge thank you to the faithful volunteers and leaders who have served so generously in these groups over many years (Chatterbox has been running for a whopping 50 years!). Their commitment, kindness and prayerful support have tended to so many from this community, and laid the foundations for Little Luke’s, bringing us to where we are today.

From next week onwards, Little Luke’s will run every Thursday, offering welcoming, inclusive spaces where families can play, connect and build community together.

So, what’s happening at Little Luke’s?

Little Luke’s will be a one stop shop for children aged 0-5 and their parents and carers, but we are delighted to have the use of the whole church centre in order to provide two distinct spaces to cater to the needs of different ages and stages.

Downstairs at Little Luke’s (in the Lower Hall) we will be hosting a lively Stay & Play group with toys, sensory play, songs, story time, crafts, refreshments, and the invaluable opportunity to build community with other local mums, dads, aunties, grandpas and the rest!

Upstairs at Little Luke’s (in the Upper Hall) we are aiming to provide an additional calm, nurturing space especially for babies from newborn to around 15 months, with baby massage, songs, refreshments, time to connect, and monthly guest professionals offering parenting support.

Little Luke’s strives to be a place where friendships can grow, parents and carers can feel supported, and children can play and thrive in a warm and welcoming environment. Whether families choose to come every week or just occasionally, they will always find an open door and a friendly face at Little Luke’s.

As we launch, we are hopeful that Little Luke’s will also be able to act as a launchpad towards faith, connecting members of this community to the life of the church. We know that we are in a cultural moment of spiritual curiosity, and it is very much our hope that the families who join us during the week will also feel invited, encouraged and confident to come along to explore Christianity with us at other times.

I’m really excited about this moment of transition and new life for our pre-school groups, and I am so grateful to have the support of a wonderful team of volunteers who are the life and soul of what we have to offer. If you’re interested in joining the team at this exciting juncture then please do come and chat with me, I’d be thrilled to hear from you.

Serena

PS. It’s an ox with wings…