Outreach Playgroup in action

For many years now Blacktown Christian Reformed Church have been running a free community playgroup. For a fair few of these only one lady from our church has been running the club and welcoming community members. In 2011 we changed the day that playgroup met in order to allow other mothers from church, who worked part time, to attend. We also put up a permanent sign advertising the free playgroup. This has seen a huge amount of growth in the group and most of this has been community members starting to attend!

The group is fairly casual starting with coffee/juice and free play time. The children enjoy some fruit and water while the parents or carers share morning tea (and the kids join in too of course!) each parent/ carer brings a piece of fruit and something to share for morning tea, BCRC supplies the drinks and everything else at no charge to our guests.

After this we join together for some singing– in 2011 we began using the J is for Jesus CD from emu music! The kids love the songs and memorise them and parents tell us that they sing them all the time at home! We then share a bible story and do a craft that coincides with the story and is designed for the children to have something to take home to use to share the story with other parents and siblings! We also occasionally break out the musical instruments for the kids to enjoy some music and dancing together! Parents and carers are encouraged to take some time to socialise however are responsible for their own children while at playgroup. We have become a real community with everyone looking out for one another!

Through the relationships built and the story time a few mothers began to ask about the gospel message and as a result have started to meet together for a daytime bible study group run by BCRC ladies with child minding made available! Of course this amount of growth wouldn't be able to happen without a growth in volunteers coming to help! We have had volunteers ranging from 17 to 70! Some uni students with a morning spare as well as grandmas (who’s grandchildren aren't close by), retirees and mothers of teenagers with a day off! These volunteers help with set up and pack up as well as chatting with the mums and serving in the kitchen! Their role is vital and we have found that in our community many mums/ dads don't have extended family in Australia so really enjoy having grandparent figures around for advice and fellowship!

Nearly every playgroup day in 2011 saw a new face visit! And even though not everyone comes every week everyone does come back more than once! Each week we range from 10 to 25 parents/ carers and even more kids! 2012 is set to be a year with even more growth and outreach opportunities for our playgroup! BCRC recently invested in a lot more outdoor toys as well as a super shed to store them in! so far this term we have had 6 new families join us and have seen one mum and her two daughters join us on Sunday’s for children’s church