Bubbles, Bible Stories, and Big Questions at WonderZone in Christ Church Primacy

This summer Christ Church Primacy, the newest Covenant Church in the Methodist Church in Ireland uniting congregations from the Methodist Church and the Church of Ireland,  brought a fresh twist to their children’s ministry. They ran Wonder Zone, an exciting weekly programme for children, where members of Christ Church, alongside young volunteers and leaders from Bangor Methodist Church, joined together for four weeks of great fun!

Paula (IMYC) had the chance to sit down and chat with Maura Mooney, a passionate volunteer with a background in science and an even greater love for Jesus. Having taken on responsibility for children’s ministry within the church, Maura has a vision for creating a space where children have a safe space to ask big questions and learn about Jesus! The fun theme for Wonder Zone this year incorporated fun experiments and Bible stories, showing that science and faith aren’t seen as rivals, but as partners in discovering the wonder of God’s creation.

Christ Church Primacy has been steadily building relationships with local families through its toddler group. Over time, many of those little ones have grown into the older “Kids at Primacy” group and this summer’s Wonder Zone was a natural next step. The majority of children attending had connections through these groups, along with local primary school pupils, as well as children and grandchildren of the church members… now, there are children attending church because of their time in Wonder Zone.

Science, Snacks, and Scripture
For four weeks, every Monday evening, the church buzzed with activity for 90 minutes of learning and laughter. Each session included high-energy warm-ups, songs and actions, creative crafts, and of course experiments! From giant bubbles to the classic Coke-and-Mentos explosion, the children were captivated. Videos, memory verses, themed snacks (lovingly prepared by volunteers), and Bible stories made the evenings even richer.

One night they learned from the story of Solomon asking God for wisdom; another time they explored the story of the Prodigal Son. Throughout the weeks, Frank, a homemade robot, became a firm favourite amongst the whole crowd. Maura was amazed at how much the children remembered and could explain back after each week!

Teamwork Across Churches

One challenge however, was finding enough volunteers to cover the numbers needed for the evenings and that’s where Bangor Methodist Church stepped in to help. Young people and adults from Bangor joined the team, bringing energy, creativity, and extra pairs of hands. The bond between the two churches has grown, so much so that members of Christ Church even attended a coffee morning fundraiser to support one of the Bangor volunteers soon after the programme ended.

Maura says: “We are just doing church together. It was great fun for everyone, and God built real community between the volunteers and the kids.”

Maura’s advice to other churches thinking about children’s ministry is simple:

“Work with what you have. Do what you can do, rather than focusing on what you can’t.”

This year’s Wonder Zone wasn’t just about fun experiments or clever crafts. It was about partnership, community, and creating a place where children feel valued, safe, and inspired to explore who God is with their whole heart and curious minds.