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Children's Soft Play, Parents Retreat
and Cafe
Provides a flexible platform for creative bridges to faith.
Encourages friendship and uninterrupted conversation.
Appeals to young families and carers
Draws attention of Church attenders towards caring outreach.
Potential of surplus funds for other ministries
Gives opportunities for a wide diversity of abilities and spiritual
gifts to be exercised e.g. praying, serving, training volunteers,
purchasing supplies,maintenance, leadingplay groups and family
nights.
Tumbletown Workshop
Baptist Community Services Conference
"Towards Kingdom Communities" 29th Oct 2005
mmOutlineproposal
Suggested 'bridges to faith'
Example budget and volunteer forms
3. But the lack of young and middle ages wasstill a problem. How would the church
reach out to the community in anattractive wayand raise some additional funds
to allow a full-time pastor to be employed?
Following an idea that arose during a brainstorming session between Peter
Knight and Graham Eggins the idea of building a soft-play centre as a 'parents
retreat' and children's play area beganto emerge. Eventually this trickle
became the raging torrent of Tumbletown'.
Tumbletown is a
• maze of completely netted cushioned tunnels,
• padded area for upto age2and
• a huge ball pit constructed in rooms under the church hall.
It includesa cafe serving excellent Gloria Jean's coffees andlight
refreshments such as pies, ice creams and cold drinks. The Centre was quickly
supported by young families from the town, as the parents were able to relax
and enjoy a great coffee andsome adult conversation- while their children
were safe, happy and playing independently. Children 2 years and over pay $4 to
use the equipment and refreshments are sold at close to commercial rates.
Everyday starts with prayer as a group of 14 committed volunteers work in
teams of two to welcome parents and children, provide the refreshments andbe
a friendly Christian face to young families whooften are nearly overwhelmed
with modern life, children andeverything else. The volunteers being
predominantly older fits well with this ministry as retirees canoffer time,
energy, Christian maturity andbe a grandparent type figure -sometimes
reading storybooks to children.
Various Christian magazines (Christian Women,
Christian Parenting, John Blanchard's tracts on SeptEveryday with
prayer.... 11<& Suffering, Bible documents, Evolution) were
placed on a table for some interesting reading.
On visiting the facility a month after it officially opened, Mrs June Heinrich -
CEO of BCS wasstruck by the opportunities it created. On the way home June
Heinrich said, "Every Church should have one!". Tumbletown is ideal for:
• Playgroups
• Midday Evangelistic Bible study
• Evening family Housegroup
• All kinds of pre-evangelistic andevangelistic meetings.
4. BCS Seeding Grant Assistance
It wasreadily obviousthat the church hadcut a number of corners in aneffort
to stay within budget andwaswaiting for Tumbletown income to payfor quite a
few, semi-necessary items. Air-conditioning had been installed but the
electrical supply hadyet to be upgraded to allow it to be switched onat the
same time as the pie warmer or dishwasher, resulting in some careful juggling on
hot days. A top quality sign board with colourful logo had been donated but the
church waswaiting for funds to add opening times andcontact details. Some
old school tables had been cobbled together and carefully covered with table
cloths but along with the steel chairs were not that comfortable. The list could
go on. June Heinrich suggested that BCS could assist to bring the purchase of
these items forward through it's Seeding Grants for Communityprojects appeal
and so donated $5,000. This was given towards:
• cafe tables andchairs
• lounge chair area andcoffee table
• business bureau peripherals
• signage
• electrical supply upgrade
• advertising formal community contact meetings
o "Coffee <& Toddlers" play group for young mums <& others and
o "Indoor Bowling" for more elderly child minders
The Church wasoverjoyed with the gift andthanked &od for His generosity.
After two months opening they have, on average, tripled their breakeven point
and have been blessed with great newcontacts and natural outreach
possibilities. A needy town of over 15,000 people can continue to be impacted
with the gospel as a wonderful newfull-time pastor with his young wife and
family, Pastor Andrew & Naomi Brown, accepted a call and began their ministry
there in February 2005.
Whenever you are around the far north coast of NSW make sure you call in or
better still, make a special trip. If youwould like aninformation pack about
Tumbletown and explore the possibility of installing something similar in your
Church feel free to contact Pastor Peter Knight, geter@knight.c_c or 02 6676
2063.