With a workshop held in Mossel Bay, South Africa, the Evangelical Mission in Solidarity (EMS) has taken another step toward creating a child-friendly church through its children’s program YOU + ME: FRIENDS AROUND THE WORLD. Committed participants shared ideas, affirmed values, and pledged their dedication to creating welcoming spaces for children.

As part of the annual conference of the Moravian Sunday School Union in South Africa (MSUSA), Boneta Neethling, EMS Program Officer for the Moravian Church in South Africa (MCSA), led a workshop on the topic.

“Right from the start, the atmosphere was lively,” said Neethling. “Children’s ministry workers from all districts of the MCSA came together with open hearts and eager spirits.”

The workshop began with a simple yet powerful introductory exercise: participants were asked to describe in one word what makes a church child-friendly. The responses - words like “welcome,” “love,” “safety,” “joy,” “singing,” and “belonging”- set the tone for the entire session and shaped the interactions among participants.

At the end of the workshop, participants expressed their commitment to a child-friendly church by signing a declaration. “This was not just a formality,” said the EMS Program Officer with joy. “It was a promise, a commitment, and a public declaration that the MCSA is serious about welcoming children, valuing their voices, and creating congregations where they truly feel at home.” The signatories now serve as ambassadors of the program, carrying the vision of a child-friendly church into their respective districts.