At Thundersley Christian Spiritualist Church, we have always placed a high value on making our community open and accessible to all people, including Children and the Young.
Without young families being involved, our Church wouldn’t have endured since 1933, and we very much hope it will go on much further in to the future.
However, we must be responsible and consider the suitability of services for different audiences, which will be different depending on each individual person.
This policy gives you some guidance to help you decide if a particular Church Service or Event is suitable for the whole family.
Family Services
We hold family services on selected Sundays throughout the year. These will usually not have a Clairvoyance/Mediumship element.
These services involve songs, prayers, addresses and related activities such as lighting Remembrance Candles.
Family Services are generally suitable for people of all ages, and some disturbance from the congregation will not affect the service.
Sunday Services
Read more about Sunday Divine Services Here.
Our normal Sunday services include a healing silence and a demonstration of mediumship.
While there is no reason children cannot attend, you should consider if the theme of life-after-death is suitable for your child.
It is also important to consider others in the congregation, and if your family does start to become restless, we have a Quiet Room with some activities and toys to keep them occupied. See Facilities Below.
Is Clairvoyance Suitable for Children?
This is a decision for you to make as it will vary depending on the child.
The mediums who serve our Church act as a channel with the Spirit world and will try to provide proof that the Spirit lives beyond death.
Talk of loved ones who have passed away can be emotional, and you should consider if this will affect your child.
It could also be disturbing to think of Spirits who have passed being brought close to the Earthly realm, so this should also be considered in each Child’s case.
If you haven’t experienced Clairvoyance (Mediumship) before, we recommend you come to a Sunday service without children first.
Noise and Disruption
As in most situations, we politely ask that people keep disruption to a minimum during a service.
Everyone shuffles, drops things or whispers to each other sometimes, so this is not a problem. However, where noise becomes a distraction to the service, we just ask you to take your children into the quiet room for a few minutes, to draw a picture, read a book or play quietly with some toys.
Facilities
We are pleased to have a small selection of art materials, books and toys which can be used in our quiet room (located at the back of the Church). This can be a good break for families during a long service.
We also have toilets accessible from the main Church, and these may be used by everyone during the service.
One-to-One Readings
The Church occasionally holds events where visiting mediums offer one-to-one readings. It is Church policy NOT to give one-to-one readings to those under 18 years of age.
Circles (Open & Closed)
Circles, whether Open or Closed, should only be attended by over 18s.
Other Services and Activities
You should consider other events at the Church on a case-by-case basis, and if you are unsure about any of them, please ask us.
Family Friendly Policy, v2.2, March 2023