Faith Adventures for Children Together and Youth Resource
Faith Adventures for Children Together is a free weekly resource from the United Reformed Church to support church children’s group leaders and volunteers as they plan and deliver Bible-based, child-centred, engaging sessions for ages 12 and under.
From January 2024 it is accompanied by Faith Adventures: Youth Resource which seeks to supplement the sessions with prayers, discussion and activities which extend the material to engage the 11 to 14 age range.
Session outlines provide ways to experience, explore and express faith together through Bible readings, stories, prayers, activities, and wondering together, with a postcard home to enable children and families to nurture their faith in daily life.
Download Resources
Introductions to the resources
"How To" introductions to the resources
FACTsheet: a "how to" for Faith Adventures (PDF | 178kb)
An explanation of the approach used in FACT, guidance as to how to make best use of it, and some extra suggestions you may find helpful in your planning
How and Why to use the Faith Adventures: Youth Resource - an introduction (PDF | 196kb)
Faith Adventures: Youth Resource is designed to be used alongside faith Adventures for Children together as many items are suitable for use across the age ranges, depending on your group.
Sample Sessions:
FACT: Matthew 17:1-9 : The Transfiguration sample session (PDF | 435kb)
FACT: Matthew 17:1-9 : The Transfiguration sample postcard home (PDF | 198kb)
A one-off sample issue of Faith Adventures for Children Together, on the theme of the Transfiguration: exploring who Jesus is.
The sample session is to aid planning for your children's group. The sample postcard home is something that you would give to a child or family to enable them to explore the story at home.
Index of Bible readings across URC CYW resources (periodically updated)
Planning a service or a session around a particular reading (e.g. from the lectionary or to fit a certain theme) and want to know whether it's covered in any of our resources? Use this helpful index to help you know where to look. It covers Faith Adventures: Children Together, Families on Faith Adventures @ Home, Holiday Club materials and will also include Friends on Faith Adventures and Faith Adventures: Youth Resource eventually. It will be regularly updated with new Faith Adventures: Children Together materials as they are written.
Bible index (PDF|355kb)
Gathering Prayers in Welsh
Although it is not possible to include a translation for all our materials, churches where children speak Welsh may wish to use the Welsh version of the gathering prayers for the children to say together.
Gweddi Ymgynull (Gathering Prayers in Welsh) (PDF|77kb)
July/August - Stories
For more on this theme, see the URC 2024 holiday club materials, Sparks and Stories, or the themed all-age resource book Story, Story, Story.
Week one: Genesis 28: 10-19 Jacob's Ladder
session outline (PDF|455kb) postcard home (PDF|208kb) YOUTH RESOURCE (PDF|224kb)
Week two: Genesis 16:1-6 Hagar
session outline (PDF|393kb) postcard home (PDF|173kb) YOUTH RESOURCE (PDF|4mb)
Week three: Psalm 23
session outline (PDF|524kb) postcard home (PDF|335kb) YOUTH RESOURCE (PDF|283kb)
Week four: Luke 15: 1-6 Parable of the Lost Sheep
session outline (PDF|585kb) postcard home (PDF|286kb) YOUTH RESOURCE (PDF|272kb)
Week five: 2 Peter 1: 12 - 19
session outline (PDF|1mb) postcard home (PDF|243kb) YOUTH RESOURCE (PDF|482kb)
June - Homes
Week one: 1 Chronicles 28 9-12,20 - Building the temple
session outline (PDF|503kb) postcard home (PDF|172kb) YOUTH RESOURCE (PDF|263kb)
Week two: Proverbs 24: 3-4 - Build your life like your home
session outline (PDF|738kb) postcard home (PDF|240kb) YOUTH RESOURCE (PDF|245kb)
Week three: John 14: 1-2 - My father's house has many mansions
session outline (PDF|634kb) postcard home (PDF|162kb) YOUTH RESOURCE (PDF|249kb)
Week four: Acts 4: 32-37 - The apostles share their homes together
session outline (PDF|458kb) postcard home (PDF|190kb) YOUTH RESOURCE (PDF|716kb)
Week five: Matthew 7:24-27 - The wise and foolish builders
session outline (PDF|903kb) postcard home (PDF|173kb) YOUTH RESOURCE (PDF|259kb)
May 2024 - God is....
Week one: Psalm 90: 2 – God
session outline (PDF|2mb) postcard home (PDF|319kb) YOUTH RESOURCE (PDF|500kb)
Week two: Acts 1: 6-11 - Jesus
session outline (PDF|1020kb) postcard home (PDF|287kb) YOUTH RESOURCE (PDF|241kb)
Week three: Joel 2:28-29 - Spirit
session outline (PDF|843kb) postcard home (PDF|236kb) YOUTH RESOURCE (PDF|239kb)
Week four: John 14: 16-17 - Trinity
session outline (PDF|1mb) postcard home (PDF|224kb) YOUTH RESOURCE (PDF|719kb)
April 2024 - Courage
Week one: Joshua 2: 1-7 – Rahab's brave decision
session outline (PDF|966kb) postcard home (PDF|231kb) YOUTH RESOURCE (PDF|272kb)
Week two: Luke 6: 27-16 - Love your enemies
session outline (PDF|817kb) postcard home (PDF|330kb) YOUTH RESOURCE (PDF|340kb)
Week three: Acts 27: 21-44 - Paul's Shipwreck
session outline (PDF|531kb) postcard home (PDF|196kb) YOUTH RESOURCE (PDF|291kb)
Week four: Psalm 56 - If God is with us...
session outline (PDF|491kb) postcard home (PDF|330kb) YOUTH RESOURCE (PDF|275kb)
March 2024 - People
Resources for this month focus on the theme of PEOPLE but we are aware that some churches may be looking for materials on the elements of the Easter story. You will find resources for this in our Families on Faith Adventures materials and we have also created a supplementary Easter Resource entitled EASTER ENCOUNTERS (PDF|2mb) which focuses on the people involved in each stage of the Easter story, with crafts and prayers to support each step along the way. Feel free to use whatever fits your setting and requirements best, or to mix and match at will.
Week one: Verses from Psalm 119 - God's people
session outline (PDF|775kb) postcard home (PDF|346kb) YOUTH RESOURCE (PDF|205kb)
Week two: Exodus 2.1-10 – Mothering Sunday - Moses in the bullrushes
session outline (PDF|1mb) postcard home (PDF|221kb) YOUTH RESOURCE (PDF|364kb)
Week three: 1 Corinthians 12: 27-31 - We are the body of Christ
session outline (PDF|1mb) postcard home (PDF|247kb) YOUTH RESOURCE (PDF|287kb)
Week four: Matthew 26: 17-30 - The Last Supper
session outline (PDF|707kb) postcard home (PDF|306kb) YOUTH RESOURCE (PDF|350kb)
Week five: John 16: 16-24 - Easter - you will be sad for a time
session outline (PDF|1mb) postcard home (PDF|205kb) YOUTH RESOURCE (PDF|324kb)
Supplementary resource for Easter: Easter Encounters (PDF|2mb)
February 2024 - Identity
Week one: Luke 2:36-38 – Anna prophesies about Jesus
session outline (PDF|1mb) postcard home (PDF|289kb) YOUTH RESOURCE (PDF|369kb)
Week two: Psalm 139 - God knows me
session outline (PDF|644kb) postcard home (PDF|245kb) YOUTH RESOURCE (PDF|325kb)
Week three: Galatians 3:27-29 - We are all children of God
session outline (PDF|448kb) postcard home (PDF|227kb) YOUTH RESOURCE (PDF|441kb)
Week four: Isaiah 11:1-2 - Identity of Jesus
session outline (PDF|594kb) postcard home (PDF|269kb) YOUTH RESOURCE (PDF|334kb)
January 2024: Surprises
Youth Resource for January 2024 will be added by 5 January - apologies for the delay
Week one: Proverbs 27:1 – God of Surprises
session outline (PDF|495kb) postcard home (PDF|192kb) YOUTH RESOURCE (PDF|223kb)
Week two: Luke 5: 1-11 - A surprising catch
session outline (PDF|1001kb) postcard home (PDF|255kb) YOUTH RESOURCE (PDF|242kb)
Week three: Genesis 6-11-7.10 – Noah's surprising challenge
session outline (PDF|657kb) postcard home (PDF|189kb) YOUTH RESOURCE (PDF|269kb)
Week four: Acts 12: 5, 7-16 - Rhoda and the disciples surprised by Peter
session outline (PDF|573kb) postcard home (PDF|202kb) YOUTH RESOURCE (PDF|258kb)
December 2023: Advent/Christmas
Week one: Luke 1: 26-31 – An ordinary couple
session outline (PDF|743kb) postcard home (PDF|257kb)
Week two: Luke 2: 8-18 - Ordinary shepherds
session outline (PDF|723kb) postcard home (PDF|294kb) Youth Resource sample (PDF|266kb)
Week three: Matthew 2: 1-2, 9-11 - Ordinary stargazers
session outline (PDF|748kb) postcard home (PDF|267kb) Treasure Hunt template (PDF|140kb)
Week four: Luke 2: 1-7 - An extraordinary gift
session outline (PDF|912kb) postcard home (PDF|345mb)
Week five: Luke 2: 25-33 - Simeon recognises Jesus
session outline (PDF|943kb) postcard home (PDF|207kb)
Family Film Night: Polar Express (courtesy of Wessex synod and National Synod of Scotland) (PDF|mb)
November 2023: Friendship
Week one: 1 Samuel 18-20 – David and Jonathan session outline (PDF|556mb) (Coming soon) postcard home (PDF|289kb)
Week two: Philippians 2:19-26 - Paul and Timothy session outline (PDF|559kb) postcard home (PDF|243kb)
Week three: John 11:1-44 – Jesus cries with his sad friends session outline (PDF|566kb) postcard home (PDF|237kb)
Week four: Selected Proverbs - Wisdom about friendship session outline (PDF|589kb) postcard home (PDF|499kb)
A4 colouring pages for all four weeks (PDF|553kb)
October 2023: Love is.. caring for God's world
Week one: Genesis 2: 4-15 – Creation session outline (PDF|565kb) postcard home (PDF|250kb)
Week two: Psalm 65 - God over all creation session outline (PDF|726kb) postcard home (PDF|199kb)
Week three: Luke 13: 6-9 – Parable of the fig tre session outline (PDF|492kb) postcard home (PDF|222kb)
Week four: Proverbs 30: 24-28 – Small but wise session outline (PDF|776kb) postcard home (PDF|345kb)
Week five: Revelation 22 1-2 - Healing of the nations session outline (PDF|358kb) postcard home (PDF|359kb)
September 2023: Changes
Week one: 2 Chronicles 1: 7-12 – Solomon requests wisdom session outline (PDF|643kb) postcard home (PDF|316kb)
Week two: Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 - A time for everything session outline (PDF|607kb) postcard home (PDF|220kb)
Week three: John 8: 1-12 – Woman caught doing wrong session outline (PDF|1mb) postcard home (PDF|283kb)
Week four: Acts 9 - Saul on the road to Damascus session outline (PDF|1mb) postcard home (PDF|297kb)
Summer 2023: The Lord's Prayer
The following five resources are designed to cover weeks before/after the summer holidays, when most groups stop meeting together. Dates have not been specified as school holidays vary around the country. If your group continues to meet during the school holiday, we recommend that you look at the resources available in our Holiday Club materials or Families on Faith Adventures @ Home These should provide enough material to keep you going until the next month's resources are published.
Week one: Matthew 6: 9-13 – The Lord's prayer session outline (PDF|404kb) postcard home (PDF|411kb)
Week two: Psalm 27: 4-5,7-8 - One thing I ask session outline (PDF|601kb) postcard home (PDF|184kb)
Week three: Nehemiah 2 – God's in this session outline (PDF|801kb) postcard home (PDF|313kb)
Week four: I Thessalonians 5: 16-18 - Pray for and with session outline (PDF|540kb) postcard home (PDF|401kb)
Week five: Daniel 9: 3-5 & 9 - Sorry prayers session outline (PDF|682kb) postcard home (PDF|273kb)
June 2023: Journeys
Week one: 1 Kings 10: 1-13 – Queen of Sheba visits session outline (PDF|885kb) postcard home (PDF|168kb)
Week two: Psalm 121 - God watches over coming and going session outline (PDF|665kb) postcard home (PDF|188kb)
Week three: Luke 10: 30-37 – Good Samaritan session outline (PDF|905kb) postcard home (PDF|193kb)
Week four: Acts 11:19-26 - Barnabas goes to Antioch session outline (PDF|448kb) postcard home (PDF|318kb)
May 2023 : Celebrations
Week one: 1 Chronicles 12: 38-40 - David's coronation session outline(PDF|452kb) postcard home (PDF|285kb)
Week two: Psalm 9: 1-2, 7-11 - A psalm of praise session outline (PDF|452kb) postcard home (PDF|260kb)
Week three: Philippians 4:4-7 - Rejoice in the Lord Always session outline (PDF|551kb) postcard home (PDF|263kb)
Week four: Acts 2: 1-14 - Pentecost session outline (PDF|490kb) postcard home (PDF|398kb)
April 2023 : Easter Happenings
Week one: Psalm 118: 26-30 – Palm Sunday session outline (PDF|483kb) postcard home (PDF|349kb)
Week two: John 19: 16-19, 40-41 and John 20: 1-8 Easter session outline (PDF|401kb) postcard home (PDF|200kb)
Week three: Romans 8: 31, 32, 34, 35 – Resurrection session outline (PDF|465kb) postcard home (PDF|226kb)
Week four: 2 Kings 4: 18-20, 32-37 The Shumamite woman’s son session outline (PDF|556kb) postcard home (PDF|241kb)
Week four powerpoint game (ppt|897kb)