X:Site Town wide Event for 7 - 11's

Dear friend,
We are writing to you to inform you about a Children’s event initiative we are hoping to develop in Swindon. Working in partnership with local churches, our vision is to run a town wide children’s event every two months for 7-11 year olds in Swindon. This would be primarily for children who attend church regularly, but the children would also be encouraged to invite their friends as an expression of faith and also as a way of bringing in those children who already have some connection with Christianity.

What is X:site?
In 2004 Julie Swain, a Scripture Union Children’s Evangelist, had the vision of setting up a city wide children’s event in Leeds. After forming a team of children’s workers and other volunteers they set about developing X:site Leeds in partnership with local churches. The initiative is called X:site because it is about drawing children to the place of the cross, and having the cross at the centre of all we do. See attached document. For more information on X:site check out the website: http://www.xsite.uk.net

X:site is not about simply being a good children’s event. Nor is it a replacement for the much needed and invaluable work that already occurs in churches. Instead it is about bringing children together from across the town to demonstrate to them that they are part of a much larger body of Christians. It is about providing an attractive and accessible event to which children can bring their friends. It is about supporting and resourcing churches in the week in week out work they do. It is about building links and relationships between children, team and churches right across the town.

One of the key objectives of the original X:site initiative was that it was to be developed as a resource which could be used in other communities. In fulfilling these aims, X:site Calderdale, Gloucester, Sutton, Birmingham and Keighley have now all been set up.

Who are we?
Lianne Smith – Swindon Citadel Salvation Army
Lianne is the children’s ministry co-ordinator for the Salvation Army in Fleet Street where she is responsible for the under 11’s. She is part of the X:Site Team at Spring Harvest and is a Scripture Union Affiliate.

Janet Roe – Lawn Community Church
Janet is a church leader and primary school teacher. She is actively involved in schools ministry and is the co-ordinator of Y-Crew, a Christian after school club which runs in four primary schools in the Old Town area.

How are we going to do this in Swindon?
We would like to invite you to an initial meeting to be held on Thursday 1st of March at St Mary’s Church, Commonweal Rd, Old Town from 7.30pm – 9.30pm. (Commonweal School have kindly given their permission for us to use their car park) We are inviting children’s workers, children’s volunteers, members of church leadership teams and anyone who is interested, to come along to this meeting and simply find out more. Our vision is that this event is a partnership between churches and communities throughout the town and is not to be “owned” by anyone person or group.

We look forward to seeing you in March!
Contact Details:
Lianne Smith
Lianne-smith@hotmail.co.uk
Tel: 01793 763844

If as a parent of a children's group worker you are interested in taking this forward please speak to Andrea Howe in the first instance.  Thank you.