A workload friendly role
Over the last eight years the Otago and Southland region has been blessed with a full-time, fully energized Kids Friendly resource in Cheryl Harray. Now Cheryl has decided to take a few bricks off her load.
While still wearing the same hat, Cheryl, the Southern Presbyterians Kids Friendly Advisor, will be working three-quarter time.
“I’ve chosen to reduce my hours because, well, I’m not that far off retirement!” She laughed.
“To be honest, I want more time with my grandchildren.”
Cheryl’s reduced activity doesn’t necessarily mean being less available for the churches.
“I might delegate tasks and travel smarter/be more economical with my time,” she said.
She hasn’t dropped the ball on passion either, she’s still eager to grab children ministry issues by the horns and resolve them.
Cheryl encourages, provides, resources and shares kids-friendly ideas to other churches and families.
“My official title is Advisor, but I’m more like a coach. I cheer for churches on the sidelines and try to come along and help them,” she said.
Her help reaches from inside the church to inside families’ homes.
“I’ve been encouraging families to install ‘Faith at Home’. I train parents to teach their kids to be more practical with their faith inside their house.”
Cheryl believes one of the biggest areas of need is to do with churches inter-generational practices.
“I think churches have made an unintentional mistake of separating their children from the adults [during services] – by sticking the kids in the backrooms,” she said.
“Imagine an older man weeping over a beautiful hymn. A child could then witness the passion of his faith!”
Cheryl’s desire for the church is overflowing and welcomes all churches to call for assistance.
“I can help with smaller things like, how to run children services, to big things like an entire holiday program.”
“Some churches might not have as many children turning up, but we can work together to help them welcome the ones that do!”