Last weekend saw 500 primary school children arrive at Wellington Presbyterian Church in Ballymena for the Presbyterian Church in Ireland’s (PCI) Kids Big Day Out – only this year it was a little different.

Every year children, leaders and volunteers from all over PCI come together to take part in the denomination’s chief annual event for children.

‘God’s Big Story’ was the theme for this year, with the children looking at the whole story of God’s plan of rescue through the Bible. The aim and hope was that they would see that although the Bible is made up of many stories and lots of different characters, there is one big story holding it all together – the story of God’s plan of rescue for His people.

Ruth Bromley, PCI Children’s Development Officer, explained the importance of the day, “It not only allows us to put on a big celebration event for children and leaders to come to, it also allows us to support congregations, both big and small, in doing something that they may not be able to do for themselves.

“Each group leader went home with a pack containing a children’s ministry follow-up lesson on the theme we explored at the event, a drama script for an all-age service based on the drama, ideas for an all-age service and information on where to find all the songs we sang.”

This year the event was also a little different, as members of the drama company ‘Play it by ear’ did the story telling. Through actors playing various parts and different biblical characters, they told the entire story of the Bible in just three acts – from the Old Testament,to Jesus’ birth and the calling of the first disciples, through to the triumphal entry and then the resurrection. Using the drama, the children were able to think about the life of Jesus before His resurrection, through a series of activities and music.

“In all that we do, our aim is to support the work of the whole Church through children’s ministry. It is our prayer that as the children from across the Church come together on this day each year, an event especially for them, that they will feel part of a wider Church family and community. Moreover, we trust that through the play and activities they will be urged and encouraged to consider their own relationship with God,” Ruth said.

In their pack, each child received an individual timeline of the Bible to take home to remind them of the big story and where all the characters fit in. They also took home a prayer bag – a small bag containing five ideas for creative prayer that they could do at home.

You can find out more about PCI’s Youth and Children’s ministry, here including downloadable resources, blogs by Ruth and  information on forthcoming events.

Picured above: Children and their leaders thaving fun and worshipping at the 2017 Kids Big Day out last Saturday at Wellington Presbyterian Church, Ballymena, County Antrim.