Meet the people co-ordinating 'Myton Kids' and who introduced us to 'Arthur the Adventurer'!

Tim and Grace Carter

Who are you, where are you from and what do you do when not having encounters with Arthur or talking to kids?

Grace: I’m a research psychologist and I’m originally from Manchester. I enjoy baking, trail running, and just generally being in the outdoors!

Tim: I’m a physiotherapist from the Wirral and also love most things outdoors (this includes sleeping and eating) sadly I have yet to meet Arthur the Adventurer, but hope to bump into him on one of his adventures.

How did you both get involved in working with children? Over the years what has this looked like?  

Grace: Being involved in children and youth ministry stemmed from having a passion for sharing the gospel with children and young people especially as I myself professed faith as a child. The spiritual input I had from church, youth groups and meeting with many other young believers was so important as I grew in my faith and understanding of God. Over the years I’ve been part of the Keswick Convention youth ministry team, teaching puppet ministry, sharing the gospel with young people in short-term overseas mission trips, leading youth summer camps and at our previous church in Liverpool I was involved in children’s ministry for 2-4 year olds. 

Tim: Once I had professed faith as a teenager I was involved in helping in one of the Sunday morning children’s classes, (the youth often went to the evening service followed by our youth specific class after). From there, at university I started helping with the 2-4 year olds at church which was challenge in many ways and not what I would have chosen to do – but as we had about 16 children in that age group I was happy to help – it was here that I saw how important Children’s work is through all ages: to teach a basis of faith; support parents in their role of teaching their children about the love of Jesus; create an atmosphere of fun and safety where children can learn that church is enjoyable and a place where they can come and be themselves and know that they are loved by a heavenly father. I went on to do children’s slots/talks in church for primary aged school children (as you can guess who…), run and lead youth camps in North Wales and do monthly evangelistic events for youth in Liverpool.

Since joining Myton Church Tim & Grace have become involved in various expressions of our children and youth work… 

What excites you about working with children and young people?

 Tim & Grace: Both of us were introduced to who Jesus was at a young age and we were taught the Bible faithfully growing up at home, through church and youth groups and summer camps. We are excited to see:
- children and young people personally knowing Jesus as their saviour
- children and youth ministries at church supporting parents/carers in the home as the primary place where children grow up in their Christian faith with the prayer that they own it for themselves.            - children have so much to offer to any church and we have loved being part of churches where they are a valued part of the church family. The love and freedom offered through the gospel is needed for children and young people now more than ever with the pressures that are faced on a daily basis. 
Basically we are excited to see lives changed and saved by this amazing news.

In these days of church being taken into our homes each Sunday you’ve introduced us to ‘Arthur the Adventurer’  and co-ordinated what has been done for children. What undergirds how you approach things and how do you hope it fits into the bigger picture of what parents and other church activities are doing?

We have been unapologetic in remaining focused on the gospel and pointing every story to the person of Jesus in what we have done so far. Through the Myton Kids videos, we have started a new series based on the Jesus Storybook Bible which will run over the coming weeks while we remain meeting virtually. This curriculum is a great tool to use as it enables all the ‘Sunday school stories’ to point to the love of God shown through Jesus in the Bible. We also want the children to be able to apply the stories that they know so well and to understand how this impacts them each day when faced with different situations, (at a level that they are able to do).

What can we be praying for 'Myton Kids' (Sundays School)?

The weekly videos have become the main way that we are engaging with the children at Myton whilst we cannot meet face to face. We are very thankful that we have an enthusiastic team (Andy & Naomi Clarke, Al & Emma Rendle, Tim & Clare Reynolds)  helping us with the videos. You can be praying that all of us involved would be able to faithfully teach God’s word, clearly explain the gospel and that the children would respond in faith. Please also be praying for the wider 'Myton Kids' team that over the coming months we would continue to grow in unity and put Jesus at the centre of all we do.