The Table is set! It’s so very nearly Christmas! And it’s been full of surprises. Ed fixed an oven, Jam fixed a vacuum cleaner but the really big surprise is that the good news about Jesus was announced to scruffy shepherds by scary angels. Fun facts about what animals eat, and why Ed and Jam need to hibernate in January. Plus a sketch about a Shepherd race and music from Michael J Tinker, funky angels from his festive album, The King Has Arrived. Oh, and check the oven!

https://michaeljtinker.bandcamp.com/track/the-heavenly-choir-funky-angels

The pool guy YouTube

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More Christmas surprises as Ed reveals he used to live near a palace that would cost $2 billion dollars to build. Jam thought he drove a tractor as a child (he didn’t) and the Emperor thought he was in charge, but actually a baby was. That baby was Jesus.

A poem from a calf getting a surprise at dinner time. All that and magical Christmas music from Dumbrocks. Sing along HERE!

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Join Iain, Ed & Amy for a festive journey through flammable tinsel trees, Christmas pants, calpol and tears as we share a parent’s journey from heartache to hope.

Listen in for honesty, encouragement and a moment to re-focus in the middle of the chaos to remember that Jesus really is good news!

Ed Drew is the director of Faith in Kids.
Amy Smith is a writer for Faith in Kids.
Iain Ridley is the Welcome and Integration Worker at City Gates Church in Norwich and a very funny man! Iain is married to Faith and they have three children.

Resources:

Faith in Kids resources for family Bible times in Advent:

The Adventure of Christmas.

The Adventure of Christmas Advent Calendar.

Come Along, Christmas! Advent Calendar for pre-schoolers.

Explore the Christmas Build-Up here:
christmasbuildup.faithinkids.org

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In fact there are three surprises! Because Christmas is full of surprises, right? No surprise there. Anyway, Jam is surprised by some geese and has a very surprising story about a girl called Laura and another girl called Laura. And we’re with Mary who is surprised by an angel with some amazing news. Plus a sketch about Mary’s surprise baby shower - and music from Michael J Tinker. Christmas is well and truly on the way!

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Cut through the chaos and fight for a space to enjoy the brilliant truth of the Bible with your family, your way. Join us on this parents episode with Lucy Rycroft from the Hope-Filled Family. She is all about getting her kids asking questions.

Amy's gang gets into the Bible by floating jelly babies in cream and stabbing Goliath's balloon head.

️Ed's family hangs off the sofa, refuses to sing but the Bible still gets opened.

Different families, different dynamics, different struggles, same Bible getting opened, from squidgy tots to moody teens, we talk through it all.

Let’s do this!

Ed Drew is the director of Faith in Kids.
Amy Smith is a writer for Faith in Kids.
Lucy Rycroft is the founder of The Hope-Filled Family, a ministry encouraging Christian parents through books and digital resources. She is also a part-time secondary music teacher. Lucy lives in York with her vicar husband Al, their four kids, aged 10-15, and a crazy cockerpoo called Monty. She enjoys cooking and hospitality, reading, good comedy, music and plenty of chocolate.

Resources

Busy family Devotional by Lucy Rycroft.

Meals with Jesus by Ed Drew.

Faith in Kids resources for family Bible times in Advent:

The Adventure of Christmas.

The Adventure of Christmas Advent Calendar.

Come Along, Christmas! Advent Calendar for pre-schoolers.

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Join Pastor Andy, Ed & Amy for uplifting parenting chat.

Discover how God can use the ordinary challenges of family life, including the Poonami to teach us dependance on him.

With help to know what to pray and advice about striking when the iron is cold, Christian parent you’re gonna love this episode!

Ed Drew is the director of Faith in Kids.
Amy Smith is a writer for Faith in Kids.
Andy Mason has been the Vicar of St Johns Chelsea since its relaunch in 2006. Andy is the Director of Co-Mission, a Church planting network in London and is the author of Leaders Who Follow and God’s Leader. Andy is married to Kathrine, they have two children, Ori & Pella and they live on the World’s End Estate.

Explore the Christmas Build-Up here:
christmasbuildup.faithinkids.org

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A bonus episode as our Black History Month series comes to a close. With important stories for us to hear from Trevor Pearce, Andrew Gordon and Gemma Hunt. Let’s be humble enough to learn and passionate enough to work for Kingdom equality in more than just one month.

Ed Drew is the director of Faith in Kids.
Amy Smith is a writer for Faith in Kids.
Trevor Pearce is the Senior Minister for Children and Youth at All Souls Langham Place. Born in Chessington he is married to Eva. They have three children and three grandchildren who he loves even more than West Ham.
Andrew Gordon was born in London and left school at 17 to work in a bank. He later worked with London City Mission and is now minister of Donnington Evangelical Church in Willesden. Andrew is married to JoAnn and has two adult daughters.
Gemma Hunt is best known as the face of Swashbuckle on CBeebies. You can also see Gemma on the Alpha Film Series. She is the author of two children’s books “See! Let’s be me!” and “See! Let’s be a Good Friend”.  She lives in Kent with her husband Phil and their 7 yr old daughter.

Resources

BBC documentaries:
Sitting in Limbo
Black and British by David Olusoga

Books for children:
Fannie Lou Hamer
Maria Fearing
Black and British: An Illustrated History by David Olusoga

Books for adults:
Healing the Divides by Jessamin Birdsall and Jason Roach
Black and British by David Olusoga

Find out more about:
George Washington Carver from  the C.S.Lewis Institute.
Olaudah Equiano with from the Dictionary of African Christian Biography.
Walter Tull from BBC Bitesize.

Explore the Christmas Build-Up here:
christmasbuildup.faithinkids.org

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Ed and Jam talk about pumpkins – Jam throws in a recipe, surprisingly - there are fun facts about what Halloween even is, plus there’s an unusual twist on a very familiar story involving pumpkins. Plus what odd things have you done in the dark? Music from Dumbrocks. 

For more information on The Pumpkin Story from Faith in Kids, go here:

https://www.faithinkids.org/the-pumpkin-story/

Explore the Christmas Build-Up here:
christmasbuildup.faithinkids.org

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Full of careful wisdom from Rev Dr Israel and great help from Amy answering the questions that make you squirm. We loved this mic drop moment from Israel:

"It's not political correctness. It's kingdom correctness."

We're walking parents through the differences, the similarities and the sad: church in a cinema, "that's not fair" and kids being mean.

Ed Drew is the director of Faith in Kids.
Amy Smith is a writer for Faith in Kids.
Rev Dr Israel Olofinjana is originally from Nigeria. He came to the UK to pursue a calling to be a reverse missionary, bringing the Gospel back to the UK. He's married and is a parent to 2 lovely young children (3 and 6). Israel is a theologian, former church leader and director of the One People Commission for the Evangelical Alliance; working to unite the ethnically and culturally diverse church. He is a leading figure in the UK church on unity and ethnic diversity.

Resources

Find out more about Daniels Ekarte and Wangari Maathai here:

Daniels Ekarte
Wangari Maathai

Some great books from the Good Book Company about Betsey Stockton, Fannie Lou Hamer and Marie Fearing:

Betsey Stockton
Fannie Lou Hamer
Maria Fearing

Explore the Christmas Build-Up here:
christmasbuildup.faithinkids.org

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Join us this Black History Month as we sit down with the wonderful Felix Aremo.
Listen in for how to enjoy more of the beautiful diversity the Kingdom ... eating together, hearing each other's stories and celebrating our unity in Christ.
Felix understands British culture and he understands church culture. He understands the subtle ways we continue to 'other' our neighbours, our brothers and sisters. He helps us long for and work for better.

Ed Drew is the director of Faith in Kids.
Amy Smith is a writer for Faith in Kids.
Felix Aremo is a Bible teacher and mission theologian at London City Mission. He trains Christian leaders and gospel workers in urban mission and cross-cultural disciple-making. He is married with two young boys.

Resources:
God's Very Good Idea Storybook - for young children, from the Good Book Company
The Big Wide Welcome Storybook - for 3-6 year olds, from the Good Book Company.
Healing the Divides - for adults, from the Good Book Company 

Explore the Christmas Build-Up here:
christmasbuildup.faithinkids.org

Sound Effect by Krzysztof Szymanski from Pixabay

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