What makes a good Church? By Revd. Trevor Jamison

That’s not just my view. It is the collective view of the first five hundred children and young people to respond to a survey produced jointly by the United Reformed Church’s Youth and Children’s Work Committee and the Children’s Society. I’m struck by how many of the items on the list are things that adults are likely to put if asked the same question. In one recent service at a Church in this pastorate I asked the above questions and the answers provided by adults in the congregation related to several of the above headings.

I am also struck that worship came first in the responses from children and young people whilst something specifically related to the interests of the group surveyed did not appear until fourth in the list. In a recent document from the URC Youth and Children’s Work Committee, Valuing Children, we have the following comment from a twelve year old boy: “I wish my Church listened more to young people. We have good ideas but no one listens to us because they think all we care about is football.” The responses given in the survey tell a very different story.

Coming along just behind the question of what makes a good Church comes the question of what would make it better, and yes, they asked that question too!

1. Worship which is more inclusive in the music used
2. A better sense of community
3. Practical activities offered in an age-appropriate way
4. Well maintained buildings, especially better toilets
5. Compromise
6. Nothing!
7. Age-related Bible study
8. Opportunities to pray