SCOPE
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Welcome to our Strandz Community of Practice for Everyone
Our Scope groups bring together amazing children and families ministry leaders from across the country, and gather them around a shared topic and focus. As we head into our 5th year of Scope, we have seen how these relationships have strengthened our national leadership network, sparking new ideas and ministry opportunities within the local church. Scope groups are safe spaces to deconstruct ideas and concepts, reconstruct them with fresh eyes, and look for where the Holy Spirit is at work both in ourselves, others, and in our local ministries. |
SCOPE groups are communities of practice for children and families ministry leaders in the Anglican Dioceses of New Zealand
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Registrations for 2024
Scope registrations have closed.
For more information about the current cohorts, or expressing interest in future groups, please contact Diana using the email link below
For more information about the current cohorts, or expressing interest in future groups, please contact Diana using the email link below
What's in a Scope session?
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Our sessions are informal and interactive, and follow a similar rhythm and pattern each time. They include welcome, prayer, feedback from previous weeks, and then a time to discuss and reflect on a topic from the book we are reading. We want Scope to be really practical, so we are always looking for ways to contextualise and apply the things we are learning.
Scope groups meet roughly fortnightly on Zoom. Each session is 90mins long, and we don't meet during the school holidays. |
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Who's it for?
Scope is open to leaders within the Anglican Church of Aotearoa New Zealand and Polynesia who have a passion and heart to minister with children and families. We love to introduce you to like minded leaders from across the church.
Each participant will receive a Scope parcel in the post, prior to the community of practice starting, which will include:
* If you have access to the book through your diocesan library, or can hunt down a copy, that will help us keep costs down. Intergenerate participants will have to source a local copy, or borrow a physical or digital copy from the Kinder Library.
Places are limited, and it can be a juggle to find a time that best suits everyone, so thanks for your patience and understanding!
Each participant will receive a Scope parcel in the post, prior to the community of practice starting, which will include:
- The book we will be reading*
- A reflective journal to process the session in.
- And some other Strandz goodies that will make your Scope adventure fun.
* If you have access to the book through your diocesan library, or can hunt down a copy, that will help us keep costs down. Intergenerate participants will have to source a local copy, or borrow a physical or digital copy from the Kinder Library.
Places are limited, and it can be a juggle to find a time that best suits everyone, so thanks for your patience and understanding!
When is Scope happening?
Scope will begin the week of 22 July, and finish the week of 28 October.
Scope groups will be taking place the weeks starting: 22 July, 6 August, 19 August, 1 September, 16 September, 23 September, 14 October, 28 October.
The retreat will take place 8-10 November, in Wellington
Scope groups will be taking place the weeks starting: 22 July, 6 August, 19 August, 1 September, 16 September, 23 September, 14 October, 28 October.
The retreat will take place 8-10 November, in Wellington
How much does it cost?
Scope is free to take part in, and is supported by Strandz thanks to the St John's College Trust.
We would encourage your local church to support you attending the retreat in November, as they benefit from your professional development and reflective practice.To attend the retreat in Wellington, we ask participants outside of Wellington Diocese to cover their flights to the capital - and we'll cover your accommodation. For those within the Wellington Diocese, we ask for you to cover the cost of your accommodation at the Home of Compassion ($200). All meals are covered by us. If finances are a barrier to you attending, please email us.
We would encourage your local church to support you attending the retreat in November, as they benefit from your professional development and reflective practice.To attend the retreat in Wellington, we ask participants outside of Wellington Diocese to cover their flights to the capital - and we'll cover your accommodation. For those within the Wellington Diocese, we ask for you to cover the cost of your accommodation at the Home of Compassion ($200). All meals are covered by us. If finances are a barrier to you attending, please email us.
2024 Scope Streams
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Faith Like a ChildAfter a wonderful Scope group last year looking at Lacy Finn Borgo's first book, Spiritual Conversations with children, we are embarking on a Scope group with her newly released book.
How do we embrace the invitation of childlike faith. A well-known challenge of Jesus to his followers is to become like little children. But it's often difficult to remember the natural patterns of our childhood selves that enabled us to live freely in God's wonder-filled presence. Is childlike faith simply an unquestioning faith, or is it being present with ourselves in a way that invites healing and wholeness? Faith Like a Child considers Jesus' invitation to childlike faith and explores seven distinct ways of welcoming the child within. As we welcome our childhood selves, we allow God to heal our wounds so we can live in freedom with Jesus as our companion. |
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Child and Family TheologyA beloved text in the children's ministry world, and a must read for anyone curious or interested in children's ministry.
In Children's Ministry in the Way of Jesus, we draw on research in human development and spiritual formation to show how children become disciples and churches become centres of lifelong discipleship. This book has proven to be an important read for our children and families ministry leaders over the last few years of Scope, and we have had four years of rich, vibrant conversations from these chapters. The Child and Family Theology Discipleship pathway videos are based on the chapters from this book. |
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All Ages BecomingWe are in this together—all ages practicing, all ages becoming God’s people.
Often, intergenerational initiatives are seen as the next new church trend, or another programming tool for church growth and revitalisation. Ultimately, though, intergenerational practice is at the core of what it means for us to be the body of Christ. God intends for all ages to participate in faith formation together; we are formed in our practice of intergenerationallity as we participate in the formation of becoming God’s people. As you consider intergenerational practice in your own faith community, each chapter provides “Theology in Practice” sections with questions designed to help your community reflect, discuss, discover, experiment, reinvent, redesign, and continue in your community of practice. If you're interested in intergenerational ministry, this book is for you. |
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Children's Ministry 101**On hold for this year**
A new cohort for those who want to dip into a wider range of topics and thoughts around children's ministry. A great group if you're new to children's ministry or want to explore new thoughts and ideas. This Scope group will use Discipleship Pathway leadership material and other articles/chapters to bring these topics to life. Topics include:
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