The Growth of Love Study Pack

StG-OpenPack39

 

 

Welcome to the home for The Growth of Love Study Pack.

Since 1976 my wife Ruth and I have lived with hurting children and young people.

The name of our home is Mill Grove. It has been our family home for four generations, and since 1899 over 1000 children have come to live with us. We have tried to find ways of understanding the stories, experiences, feelings, needs, gifts, resilience of these children, and The Growth of Love describes something of what we have discovered.

Spend time looking through this website and see how The Growth of Love has emerged as a recurring theme in our living and working amongst children.

The Study Pack for the Growth of Love is a flexible tool enabling you to study, learn, reflect upon, share and experience the growth of love in your own life and the lives of children whom you serve.

However you connect with children: whether as a parent, teacher, carer, friend, nurse, doctor, or coach my hope is that the book will help you to see how love is growing and how you can help it to grow.

The Study Pack to The Growth of Love offers a fantastic
opportunity of engaging with key elements of life and faith
in a creative and reflective way. The Study Pack comprises;

  • 20 study cards
  • 1 copy of the book “The Growth of Love”
  • 1 copy of the book “Reflections of Living with Children”
  • 1 Facilitators’ Guide
  • 1 copy of Summary Notes

The 20 study cards cover the five key themes of the book – Security; Boundaries; Significance; Community and Creativity – as well as three introductory cards and one final card encouraging reflection on the course. The study cards are designed for use by small groups with a course facilitator. The ideal size for the groups is between 6 and 8 people.

Buy Growth of Love PackPrice per pack – £30 +p&p.

 

Study Card Outlines

 

Tunning in Page-3-top-image-t1-75 Tuning in
An opening group exercise, often with a verse from the Bible, which introduces participants to the focus for that card.
 Talking Page-3-image-2nd-t2-75 Talking point
A series of discussions starters following a short key quote from the book linked to the focus of that card.
 Taking it further Page-3-3rd-image-t3-75 Taking it further
A suggestion for personal reflection for the participants to think through before the next session – often supported by a verse or longer passage from the Bible.
 Action Page-3-fourth-image-t4-75 Action
With a further stage – putting into practice the lessons learned.

Study Card Themes

he card themes follow a clearly planned route through the exploratory process of the growth of love. The 20 themes are as follows;

Introduction

  • The importance of being welcomed
  • The concept of parenting
  • The connections between the five themes

Security

  • The importance of being held
  • Threats to security
  • Security and the stories of the Bible

Boundaries

  • The purpose of boundaries
  • The role of stories in creating boundaries
  • What happens when boundaries are breached?

Significance

  • The role of ‘significant others’
  • Issues of bullying and self-esteem
  • Affirmation and self-worth

Community

  • Independence and interdependence
  • Evaluating school and church communities
  • Covenant and the Kingdom of God
  • Threats to community

Creativity

  • Creativity and play
  • Creativity and humour
  • Creativity and risk

Final Reflection

  • The growth of love for children and for adults