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Kids Friendly gains first regional coach

Recently Cheryl Harray and the congregation at Mosgiel North Taieri Presbyterian Church took part in an activity. Minister the Rev Ken Harray (also Cheryl’s husband) had written words on balls and hidden them throughout the church. Both adults and children were asked to find the balls in order to read the message they collectively formed. As hard as the congregation looked, there was one ball they could not find, which contained a word crucial to the sense of the message. A few Sundays later, one of the children in the congregation happened upon the missing ball and declared, “I’ve found Jesus!” The significance was not lost on the adults or the children, says Cheryl.

Helping children come to Christ is at the heart of Cheryl’s new role as Dunedin presbytery’s Kids Friendly coach.

“I saw the position advertised and I thought, ‘wow, I would love to do this’. It really spoke to me. I felt the excitement, the energy, the passion I have for working with children in the church.”

The full support of her family made taking up the role an easy decision, she says. “My husband and I have four children who are very involved in youth groups and leadership. It makes us extremely proud to have raised children who can now nurture kids to find their gifts and to feel how valued they are”.

Cheryl took up her appointment in April and will work 10 hours a week. She describes the role as that of “a coach who walks alongside a church asking, ‘how can I help you involve your children more in the life of your church? How can I help you reach out to the children in your community?’”

Having recently completed training in Auckland with national Kids Friendly coach Jill Kayser, Cheryl says she feels inspired.

Jill says she’s thrilled to see the Kids Friendly seed she helped plant in Dunedin presbytery blossom into Cheryl’s appointment. “I am quite overjoyed to see Dunedin presbytery’s long-term vision in action; they have made a wonderful and important investment in our children.”

Within Dunedin presbytery there are currently seven Kids Friendly churches and six churches working to become Kids Friendly.

Cheryl says one of her aims is to create a nurturing and empowering network of children’s ministers in Dunedin presbytery. “I look forward to hearing your stories and working with you to reach out to children and families. I’m very excited to be a part of a church that values and supports those who work with children”.