Joined Up Conference 2026

The Joined Up Conference is a great opportunity for those who minister with children, young people and families to come together, connect with others, share ideas and be encouraged in their ministry. It provides a space to learn from experienced practitioners from different denominational backgrounds and traditions, discover new resources and explore how we can work more effectively together to support children, young people and families in our churches and communities.

This year the keynote will be delivered by Emma Perkins from the Growing Hope Foundation. See below for the workshop choices.

Workshop 1 options are:
How to serve your local primary school - TBC

Engaging with secondary schools – Michael Johnston
Why are schools so difficult to engage with? What do schools expect from us? What can we expect from schools? Maybe more importantly, why is schools work so important to us in church. This workshop will try to answer some of these questions.

Special Needs & Accessibility: Be an enthusiast, not an expert! – Emma Perkins
Holy Trinity Church, Heworth began to connect organically with multiple families with children with additional needs, leading to a new monthly accessible service being established to support and welcome this community. This workshop will share some of the practical ways that service runs, with some tips and ideas to explore sensory input alongside biblical stories, from someone who is an enthusiast, not an expert

Workshop 2 options:

Brick Church; a hands-on experience of using Lego for intergenerational worship – Katie Ogilvie
Are you looking for a new expression of church that will attract families, but also appeal to those young at heart? Brick Church is straightforward to plan and deliver, and allows story telling to shine. We will experience a session of Brick Church and build a bible story. There will be space and time to chat about the process as we build together.

Supporting Family Life – Jenni Middleton
Christ Church realised that they wanted to have something for children of all ages and stages. Jenni will share how they are connecting with families, building trust and looking to share faith.

Mental Health; Practical Tools to Help – TBC

Workshop 3 options:

A guided conversation on the Godly Play approach in different settings and how to begin – Richard Knott
Do you have questions about Godly Play or wonder how it might work in your setting? Are you unsure how to begin without a dedicated Godly Play room? Richard Knott, a trainer with Godly Play UK and an experienced practitioner in a range of contexts, leads this workshop as a conversation offering advice and support for those interested in the Godly Play approach.

Ministry with Young Adults (18+) – Victoria Etherington
How do we engage with a group who often get a bit lost in children’s and youth ministry. They leave school and somehow are expected to engage with a church community they may never have been part of. Who are our young adults and how do we continue to support them in their faith as they navigate the world of adulthood.

Engaging Early Years (0-5) – Emma Anderton
The workshop will cover the practicalities of setting up a toddler group – risk assessments, registration, volunteers. How to run a group – what to include – stories, songs, craft - and connecting to the 1277 network and other resources.