Through the year with Jesus!

Following the success of Not Sunday Not School!, Eleanor Zuercher has developed a further year's worth of themed material for 3 to 11 year olds, this time based on aspects of the life and teaching of Jesus.

Once again, the material is explored through a wealth of creative and interactive activities and, as before, the pattern enables children to feel involved, whatever their age or level of attendance. Each of the eleven sessions is designed to last approximately two hours, although this can be shortened or lengthened according to need. The book is packed with fresh suggestions for Bible stories, practical ideas for creating a display for the church, and a host of brand new craft activities, games and ideas for creative prayer. Following these eleven sessions, there is further material based on the 'I am' sayings of Jesus which is designed to be used for a five-day holiday club programme or a series of one-off activity days.

This is an ideal book for adults working with 3-11s, such as church-based children's workers or for clergy and lay ministers involved in the nurture of children in the church, particularly those working in the rural context.

Through-the-year themes include:

• Baptism
• Faith
• Prayer
• Miracles
• Parables
• Blessings
• Forgiveness
• Transfiguration
• Jesus' friends
• Jesus and me
• God with us

Eleanor Zuercher lives and works in a rural parish in the West Buckingham Benefice, where she runs workshops for children aged 3-12. Alongside this work she oversees all the children's work for her parish. She has recently re-trained as a teacher and is enjoying her new career teaching in a local Church of England primary school. Her first book for Barnabas, Not Sunday, Not School!, was published in 2006.

From Fresh - July 2009

A year's worth of material for 3-11s tested in small rural churches. The interactive 2 hr programme can be shortened; activities could even be used as 'stand alones'. There are sessions on baptism, miracles, parables, faith, transfiguration and prayer; the 5 day programme, also usable as individual half-day events, is based on the 'I Am' sayings. Not innovative but a useful stock of ideas.

From The Church Times - June 2009

It is increasingly hard to persuade children and their carers to come to church at weekends when family commitments are greatest. Churches, too, have difficulty finding people with both the time and the theological expertise to enable worship for children on Sundays, when their own spiritual needs also need to be met.

For those working within these constraints, Eleanor Zuercher has produced another excellent monthly resource for local churches working with 3 to 11s. Through the Year with Jesus! follows her successful Not Sunday Not School! showing a model for children's work developed in a multi-benefice rural parish setting. This midweek, monthly group is a sound model when it is not possible or practicable to run a weekly Sunday group.

Zuercher articulates the importance of integrating children's work with the church and the community, and this book engages with themes that include faith, prayer, forgiveness, and blessings. Its strength lies in the freedom it allows the leader. While detailed guidance is given for activities, the teller is encouraged to prepare to tell the story and lead the prayers in the most appropriate style. A summer activity programme based on the 'I am' saying of Jesus is also included.

Reviewed by Dana Delap

From: Country Way - Summer 2009

Eleanor Zuercher's earlier book, Not Sunday Not School!, is a big-seller on the ARC's bookstall. This is a measure of its approachability and relevance to small churches. This new book is more of the same. It is overflowing with even more ideas for innovative and engaging work with children which have clearly been tested with real children and real leaders.

This book is structured around a monthly programme introducing children to the life of Jesus and allowing them to explore this through numerous media and activities. It also includes a structured activity programme for a holiday club based on Jesus' 'I Am' sayings. Alongside this are numerous templates for drawing and construction, a helpful bibliography of other resources and more reflective material that provides the theological and methodological foundations for what is offered here.

As with the earlier book, and like many resources from Barnabas, the material here is entirely suited for dipping into, mixing and matching, or generally employing in whatever way is most suited to your own context.

Reviewed by Simon Martin

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