4th European Godly Play Conference - Germany 2012

The 4th European Godly Play Conference will take place September 20-24 2012 at Burg Bodenstein, a castle in the centre of Germany.

The theme of the conference is Playful Mentoring. Godly Play supports children's spiritual nurture and one of its chief features is acknowleging the contribution that play makes to a child's spiritual development. But how do Godly Play practitioners -- in their roles of storytellers and door persons (welcomers) -- understand and support this specific link between play and spiritual growth?

Certainly, much of what takes place in the Godly Play process depends to a large extent on the attitudes of the adults in the room. Therefore, this conference focuses on the role of Godly Play teachers as mentors. What do they need to do to encourage playfulness in children? How do they encounter their own needs to (re)connect spiritual experience, knowledge and community with play? What are the limits and opportunities to evaluate the Godly Play process when it is characterized by this quality of playfulness and joy? The conference programme has been designed with the aim of helping participants address these questions. There will be times to discover and to wonder, to share thoughts and to enjoy silence, to celebrate and to be surprised by the unknown.

The main language for the conference is English. However, there will be times built into the programme for work in different language groups.

Lugar

'Burg Bodenstein'is a small XI century castle in the heart of today's united Germany, just a few miles from the old border ('iron curtain') separating East and West, and near the medieval city of Mühlhausen, whose cathedral the young Bach was organ master.

More information

Godly Play Germany's website contains more info in English, as well as a number of photos.
· Conference flyer
· Registration info
· Conference programme
· Children welcome
· Travel instructions

Organizing group: Hilde Delin (Norway),
Peter Privett (UK), Martin
Steinhäuser (Germany), David Pritchard
(Spain), Juha Luodeslampi (Finland),
Evamaria Simon (Germany), Rune Oystese
(Norway), Ulrike Labuhn (Germany) y
Uwe Huchthausen (Germany), who
took the photo.

Advance notice of the next Godly Play day in Spain

We now have a date for our next national Godly Play day. It will take place in Castiñeiras (in the Galician province of A Coruña) on Saturday, 3 March 2012.

The programme will include a talk/lecture, workshops and the AGM of our new Godly Play Spain association, in which we hope to elect the first board of directors, as well as agree to projects for this first stage of this new structure.

The invited speaker is Ulrike Labuhn, a Godly Play teacher trainer in Germany, a specialist in the spiritual mentoring of young children, and a recent author.

We will soon post more details about the event and the programme. Meanwhile, please note the date in your diary!

Photo: Ulrike Labuhn

Greetings from the Founder of Godly Play

The following greeting was especially written for and delivered to the delegates at the II National Godly Play Conference by the Founder of the method, Jerome Berryman. We are very grateful to Jerome for this generous and evident display of companionship with regards to the ongoing process of developing Godly Play in Spain. The greeting focuses on the theme of the conference, A Safe Space.

Welcome to the second national conference for Godly Play in Spain. It is wonderful to be able to greet you on behalf of Godly Play everywhere, but “wonder” is hard to translate. Let’s pause for just a minute, as we begin, to ask why.

Put your hands on your heart and close your teeth and lips very tight. Then gradually move your hands out as far as your arms will allow and at the same time begin to smile. Slowly, slowly show your teeth, not to snarl or bite, but to laugh. Then, laughing, fold your arms around your neighbor with a hearty hug. The embrace makes a small, circle of safety out of wonder’s expansive opening. This provides the way for the creative process to come out of hiding and begin to play. It is important for our creativity to come out of hiding, for we were created in the image of The Creator. This is why Godly Play is full of wonder.

“Wonder” is difficult to translate, because it is so fundamental to whom we are, especially as Christians. Its meaning is carried more in our bodies and expanding spirits than in our minds, which distance us from God by abstractions, analysis and logic. Wonder is the special gift of children who show us how to be open to the very tiny, such as flowers and pebbles as well as to the very large, such as a sunrise turning the mountains pink or to the metallic, gray light of an angry sky over the ocean. In such pervasive wonder God’s laughing embrace can circle us around to complete us.

Children are drawn to the larger safety of God’s embrace, but it is also strange and scary. This is why they need the smaller safety of the Godly Play circle to try it out and test it, as they learn the language that both helps them identify this experience and gives them the means to express, share, and evaluate such experiences. This is also why they need guides who are not afraid to let go of trivial safety to move with them towards the Kingdom of ultimate safety.

My prayers go with you on this journey.

Jerome Berryman (Founder of Godly Play)

A note for those who might be interested at a later time:

To know God -- beyond, beside, and within -- one needs to be able to be open to what Rudolf Otto called in 1917 “The Holy” (Das Heilige). The Holy is not just full of mystery (numinous)but is at the same time terrifying (tremendum) and fascinating (fascinans). This is why we desperately try at times to control or reduce The Holy to some kind of artificial safety, but God’s safety, a paradox of fresh springs in the desert and the solid rock of Mount Zion goes beyond space and time.

A slightly different version of this same article can be found here

II National Godly Play Conference

Last weekend (21-23 October), in Salou (Tarragona), we held our second national Godly Play conference. Twenty four teachers and friends of Godly Play took part, representing several regions in Spain: Catalonia, the Basque Country, Galicia & Madrid. There was also a group of young children -- the sons & daughters of some of the delegates -- who joined us at certain points in the programme, and delighted us with their presence and participation, and also enjoyed their own separate activities at other times.

The conference took place at the Casablanca Playa Hotel in Salou, and also at the Salou Evangelical Protestant Church, who hosted the event.

The weekend programme began with the reading of greetings from Jerome Berryman, founder of Godly Play, especially written for the conference. Other activities also included sessions of Godly Play; workshops on different topics, such as starting Godly Play in the local church, creating materials, new stories, and children's spirituality; a visit to the dedicated Godly Play space at the Salou Protestant Church; evening fun activities and times for sharing experiences and building friendships.

The main talks centred on the theme of 'A Safe Space'. Speaking from his perspective as a psychiatrist, Raúl García Pérez, reviewed Attachment Theory (Bowlby, Ainsworth, etc), linking it to spirituality (above all, the idea of God as a bonding or attachment figure) and several aspects relating to the practice of Godly Play; whilst psychologist, Ester Martínez Vera, spoke on the importance of the family as a 'safe space'.

An important part of the programme was devoted to creating and setting up the 'Godly Play Spain' association, with the reading and approval of the statutes, and the signing of the minutes by 16 founding members. As soon as the conference finished, these documents were handed in to the Spanish Home Ministry for the formal registry of the new association. It is hoped that the first AGM will be held in Galicia in April 2012, when the board of directors will be elected. This meeting will be combined with a lecture and a series of workshops in what is expected to be the first annual Godly Play Day. So, at the leaving ceremony in Salou, the delegates from Galicia gave their fellow conference members a warm welcome to the next event.
It was highly significant that, whilst the initial greeting at the II National Godly Play Conference was from our Founder (Jerome Berryman), the final prayer was spontaneously offered by one of the youngest children present. It was thus a clear sign that Godly Play is alive and well in several regions in Spain, and that members of different ages and generations are actively involved in its growth!

PHOTOS: 1. Dani García, from Sant Feliu de Llobregat (Barcelona) presents the parable of the Good Shepherd [(c) Laura Rísquez]; 2. Delegates at the II National Godly Play Conference [(c) Laura Rísquez].

More photos here

The Holy Family in Valencia on Pentecost Sunday!

As I travel around Spain (and beyond) leading training sessions on Godly Play, invariably my Holy Family set of figures journeys with me.

I am particularly fond of these materials. They were given to me in compensation for all the hard work I had put in organising the second European Godly Play Conference three years ago in Madrid. The set can be purchased from GP Finland (http://www.godlyplay.fi).

This time the figures ended up on the focal shelf at a church in Valencia (the First Evangelical Baptist Church), where they are in the process of setting up a new Godly Play classroom, but have still to make or buy their own material for the Holy Family.

It coincided with Pentecost Sunday, and the liturgical colour changed from Easter white to the red-hot underlay used on this special Sunday. I think the wooden figures look wonderful against the red cloth and the sky blue wall of the classroom!

More pictures are displayed here.

The Implementation of Godly Play in a Church in Galicia (Spain)

On Sunday 3 October 2010, Godly Play classes began for a group of 3 to 7 year-olds, at the Evangelical Church in Castiñeiras, a small fishing town in the Galician province of La Coruña. They have continued uninterrupted every morning Sunday since. Throughout the first term (Oct-Dec 2010), detailed monitoring of the classes was carried out, with special emphasis on observing the responses made by the children through their wondering, expressive art and play. Open-ended response is encouraged by this imaginative approach to engaging with Bible stories. This brief report provides only general information on a few of these observations. For a more detailed explanation on how Godly Play has been implemented in the Castiñeiras Sunday school, we hope that local inquirers, or indeed visitors to Galicia, will feel free to speak to one of our Godly Play teachers about it, ideally in our specially prepared classroom. Alternatively, they can contact me (David Pritchard) by email.

GODLY PLAY CLASSROOM, FURNITURE & TEACHING MATERIALS

The Godly Play sessions took place initially (from October to December 2010) on the 1st floor of the chapel in Castiñeiras, in one of the small classrooms. Following the pastor's recommendation, we later moved to a more spacious classroom (since January 2011). In both cases, careful analysis of the available space was made so that the furniture could be arranged and the teaching materials displayed in the most suitable way possible, taking into account the nature of Godly Play and its cyclical curriculum. It is important for its development that a safe and stimulating environment is created which is conducive to learning Bible stories and reflecting on existential matters. Furthermore, the teaching materials need to be attractive for children of all ages. They must also be sufficiently robust and durable, and their simple design should evoke the imagination of boys and girls as they use them in free play to draw meaning from the Biblical narratives.

Shelves were constructed before the summer of 2010 to house the teaching materials and art supplies. At around this time, too, the task of crafting our own resources was begun, and this is a work still in progress. Our do-it-yourself resourcing has advanced very rapidly thanks to the collaboration of a large group of volunteers, including church members, young people and other folk who are not themselves churchgoers, but offered to lend a hand. The result has been materials of excellent quality and beauty. The team of Sunday school teachers, who represent the children attending the class -- and these youngsters are surely the real beneficiaries of these resource materials! -- feel tremendously grateful for this collaboration.

As of today, most of the basic resource materials have been created. This is the stuff necessary for teaching the core lessons in the Godly Play curriculum. We reckon that the task of crafting the remaining basic materials will be completed by the end of this term (January-April 2011). Following that, it is hoped that materials for the enrichment lessons will be added bit by bit.

By making our own materials, a substantial amount of money has been saved. We reckon that, had we purchased the equivalent materials from one of the official Godly Play resource suppliers, the bill would have come to at least 1,600 euros, plus additional costs of post & packaging from abroad. Taking into account the stuff that is still being made, the amount needed to equip a Godly Play classroom with the essential materials for the core curriculum would come to around 2,700 euros, plus p&p. That is the overall amount that we would have saved. Obviously, money has been spent: the main expense was the shelving. However, thanks to the collaboration mentioned above, other expenditure has been limited to the purchase of supplies (wood, felt, paint...) needed to make the resources, as well as accessories such as trays, rugs, art materials, etc.

TEACHER TRAINING

A series of workshops have been organised in order to present the Godly Play method and to train teachers in its techniques, as well as to promote a deeper grasp of its theological and pedagogical underpinnings. These workshops have been run by Castiñeiras Evangelical Church in collaboration with Unión Bíblica (Scripture Union Spain). Registration has been open to anyone interested in attending from any church. The training events have taken place on Saturdays (8 hours each workshop):

• 8 May 2010… ‘How to Share Parables with Children Using the Godly Play Method’ - 13 members of churches in Castiñeiras-Ribeira, Ferrol and Santiago de Compostela attended this training event.
• 12 June 2010… ‘How to Tell Children Sacred Stories through Godly Play’ - There were 9 trainees from churches in Castiñeiras and Ferrol.
• 11 September 2010… ‘Godly Play Space and Materials’ - 7 trainees attended from Castiñeiras and Ferrol.
• 29 January 2011… ‘Children and Liturgical Action in the Godly Play method’ - There were 13 trainees from churches in Castiñeiras, Ferrol, Moaña and Ramallosa.

Besides these training days, the team members of the Godly Play class at Castiñeiras have benefitted from ongoing, hands-on learning, above all through supervised teaching experience with the children. Throughout the first term, three of the teachers gained experience in different roles: as 'storytellers', 'door persons' and 'observers'. Other teachers have joined the same process at the start of the 2nd term. This training is based on a discipleship-mentoring-coaching model, involving observation, trainer modelling & supervision, teaching experience with the children, and reflective analysis and evaluation of that same experience. This process will continue, for Godly Play employs the ancient art of storytelling and - as with any other creative process - 'practice makes perfect'. Likewise, the art of facilitating and supporting 'wondering' and the spiritual growth of children is continuously worked on and matured.

CHILDREN'S RESPONSE TO THE METHOD

Without a doubt, the most thrilling and satisfying aspect in this process of implementing Godly Play has been the entirely favourable response of the children. We have observed the following features, amongst others:

• Their eagerness and ease in learning the different routines and phases of a typical Godly Play lesson: (i) THRESHOLD – getting ready at the door; picking up their individual rug; quietly joining other children on the floor as together they form the Godly Play circle; greeting the storyteller…; (ii) BIBLE STORY – observing and listening to the storyteller as s/he presents the lesson; wondering out loud as the storyteller leads the group in active reflection; listening to and respecting the opinions of the other children in the group…; RESPONSE – though expressive art or by means of free play and interaction with the story materials; working individually or in small groups; finding a place for their work and respecting the space of others…; FEAST – taking turns in serving the rest of the group, bringing napkins, glasses, fruit, water, etc.; passing the offering; praying and hearing the Bible reading; watering the plant…; DISMISSAL – waiting their turn to approach the storyteller to say goodbye and receive their blessing; collecting their rug and depositing it in the rug box; leaving the room…

• Their progressive asimilation of the implicit values in a Godly Play session: silence and slowing down, active listening, wondering, respect shown to others and their work space, respect in taking turns, serving others, care for the environment and the materials, freedom/responsibility, sharing, blessing, awe at life's mysteries and the presence of God…
• The enthusiasm with which the children receive the Bible stories and their level of engagement with the stories; their curiosity and openess to ongoing discovery; their ability to draw connections between one story and another, and with their own life experiences…
• The gratitude that the children have displayed at the opportunity to freely choose their work and means of response, that they can engage playfully with the lesson materials without undue teacher interference, and for the attractive range and quality of the art materials.
• The creativity displayed in the children's expressive art and play.

The following is just one example of the children's ability to make connections and draw out meaning from them (i.e. how they link one story with another):

A 6 year-old girl was observed during the work time, as she began to take out several lessons and lay out the materials on the floor. First the green underlay of the Good Shepherd parable. Then, at its side, the brown felt cloth of the Parable of the Deep Well. She then placed the figures of each of these stories on their respective underlay. Then she began to move the Good Shepherd and the sheep through the green pastures towards a small piece of blue felt representing the quiet waters. She then broke with the 'normal' Good Shepherd parable as, instead of leading his sheep towards the 'dangerous places' on the green felt, the figure of the shepherd led his sheep over to the second story, across the 'desert' towards the deep well. The girl then asked the door person to help her tie together the 6 golden threads and miniature bucket. She then proceeded to lower the bucket into the well, draw out the refreshing water and hand it to the sheep to drink. Finally, she took out the Baptism lesson and proceeded to baptize a little wooden figure in the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit... This 6-year-old had never witnessed a Godly Play 'side-by-side' presentation. However, she was already intuitively anticipating such presentations (normally reserved for older children) and playfully making hermeneutical connections through her project on water.

OTHER COMMENTS

• Our classroom has already served as a reference and a source of inspiration for visitors from other churches. They have expressed curiosity and interest in learning more about Godly Play, and some have attended workshop trainings as a result.
• There are already plans for extending the Godly Play classes to the groups of older children in our Sunday school. This will probably start in the 3rd term of this school year, as well as enjoy periodic sessions during the summer holidays.
• There are also plans for offering parents the chance to take part in a number of Godly Play sessions so that they can get a first-hand grasp of the type and style of teaching that their children are receiving on Sunday mornings.

David Pritchard - adapted from a report presented at the AGM of the Evangelical Church in Castiñeiras, Spain (January 2011)