The Roots for Churches podcast

Should Christians engage in cancel culture? Is it possible to hold justice and mercy in tandem, and what role does forgiveness play in this balance? Host, Melanie Cave interviews Natalie Williams, author of Tis Mercy All and director of Jubilee Plus about her personal journey of experiencing God's mercy, despite a challenging upbringing and a tumultuous path to faith. Her insights illuminate the p...

Melanie Cave sits down with Lisa Campbell, a special educational needs coordinator, to discuss the complexities of managing challenging behaviours in church groups. Lisa shares her expert knowledge on how to create safe, loving, and engaging environments for children attending church, emphasising the importance of trauma-informed care. We discuss behaviour as a form of communication, exploring the...

In this episode, we explore the profound impact of music on children and young people's mental health. Melanie interviews Stephen Fischbacher, founder of Fischy Music, to understand how music can positively impact our emotions, bypass our anxious thoughts and build connections. Discover how simple songs taught in schools can promote peace, unity, and emotional well-being among children of all back...

In Season 2, we delve into intergenerational ministry. We kick off this series with Darren Philip, a passionate advocate for intergenerational ministry in the Church of Scotland. He shares his journey and insights into creating a church community that embraces all ages.  From redefining family within the church to innovative worship planning with all-age groups, this episode offers valuable wisdom...

In this episode, Melanie Cave sits down with Joe Lowther, CEO of KICK, to explore innovative strategies for reaching young people who are not attending church. With only 5% of children and young people in the UK attending church, Joe shares KICK's mission to transform lives through values-driven physical education, street dance, mentoring, and chaplaincy. Discover how local churches can partner wi...

In this episode of the Roots for Churches podcast, we delve into the unique challenges faced by women leaders in the Church with Dr Amy Orr-Ewing, an internationally renowned author, speaker, and theologian. Amy shares her insights on finding your voice and leading authentically as a woman, drawing from her extensive experience and her latest book, 'Lead Like the Real You.' Throughout the conversa...

Melanie Cave and Suzi Farrant share about the launch of Intergenerate UK, a new network dedicated to fostering intergenerational ministry across the UK. Discover how this movement is uniting faith communities through networking, resourcing, training, and advocacy to support the development of intergenerational churches. Join us as we explore the unique UK flavour of this global initiative, with in...

Christmas is often a time of joy, celebration, and family gatherings. However, for those who are grieving, it can be a challenging season filled with difficult emotions. Attending traditional Christmas church services can feel jarring and difficult. In this episode, we sit down with Odele Harding from Central Church Edinburgh to explore the concept of a Blue Christmas service—a reflective gatherin...

In a world brimming with imaginative, action-packed stories for kids, what expectations do children have when they hear Bible stories?  Melanie welcomes Dr Jared Neusch, a lecturer at St Mellitus College in London, to discuss his new children's book, Jesus vs the Bad Guys, and explore how we can effectively engage young minds with the Bible's complex and sometimes challenging narratives. Jared sha...

Are you a grandparent by blood, adoption, or to young people you've drawn into your circle of care and affection? Or do you have a number of grandparents in your church? Passing on faith as a grandparent may feel a little tricky. Some might say, "My grandchildren live far away, I don't see them all that often. How can I make an impact?" Others might wonder, "My children don't attend church anymore...

What's new at Roots? We're celebrating some new beginnings as we approach a new lectionary year. Melanie explores the purpose and themes of the revised common lectionary - a curated collection of Bible readings designed to guide worship services throughout the year. We discuss the shift towards intergenerational worship, with insights from Tracey Messenger, the editor of the newly renamed Worship...

Melanie explores the significance of Black History Month in the church setting with Richard Reddie, Director of Justice and Inclusion for Churches Together in Britain and Ireland. Richard shares the vital contributions of black people to British history and the UK church. While in previous years, Black History month focussed on Martin Luther King Jr and the transatlantic slave trade, we reflect on...

According to the 2022 census, 16% of the UK population was born abroad. Including children born into these families, over a quarter of the population has an intercultural identity. How can the church honour, engage, and celebrate these diverse cultures in worship and prayer? In this episode, Melanie speaks with Ali and Steve Taylor, co-vicars at St James Alperton, a multicultural parish in London....

Is your church looking to connect with parents and young children in your community? Perhaps you've had a parent and toddler group meeting in your church hall for many years, but do people know it's associated with your church? Is there much crossover between the people who come and the people who turn up on Sunday mornings? Melanie talks to Juz Paice, Head of Kids Mission and Ministry at St Peter...

Communion is a profound way to experience God's presence and feel included in a church community. This episode explores the importance of involving children in this sacrament and addresses potential barriers that may prevent their participation. Revd Mary Hawes joins Melanie to discuss the theological and practical considerations of all-age communion, and how to make services more inclusive and me...

The current conflict between Hamas, Israel, and now Hezbollah, regularly fills our news screens. As we intercede for peace in our church prayers, the Psalms and Old Testament readings often seem to endorse Israel’s return to possess the land and God's triumph over Israel's enemies. This raises the uncomfortable question: Does Scripture validate Israel's current military actions? How do we reconcil...

Melanie and Sarah discuss how your church can build relationships with schools, colleges and universities in your community. We survey the historic relationship of churches in education and share many ideas for ways to serve schools and connect with students and colleges. Find out more about Education Sunday and the resources available to help your church pray and connect with education in your ar...

Andy Flannagan is a singer-songwriter and the director of Christians in Politics. Melanie and Andy discuss why Christians should engage with politics, while combatting the cynicism that pervades our society. Andy gives a framework for how the Church can engage with politics, building relationships and praying for local politicians, not just in the run-up to the election, although this is an opport...

Whether it's anxiety, exam pressure, or managing big emotions and overwhelm, children and young people have a lot to deal with. Melanie and Revd Dr Kate Middleton discuss the importance of churches creating safe spaces for children and young people to have open conversations about their emotions and experiences. Churches must engage with issues around mental and emotional well-being, combining gre...

Reverend Katie Tupling helps us think about language and theology of disability in the Church. Drawing from her own experience living with cerebral palsy, Tupling unravels the complex relations between disability, faith and societal attitudes. We discuss the crucial role language and liturgy play in churches to creating inclusive spaces where disabled individuals not only feel a sense of belonging...

In this episode, we explore the intersection of faith and science with Sarah Moring from God and the Big Bang (GatBB) .  Sarah encourages us to step into the gap between church teaching and the science curriculum to create a place where children and young people can ask their big questions, blending scientific exploration and faith formation. The episode touches on creation and evolution, with an...

Debbie Thrower, the founder of Anna Chaplaincy, is an Anglican licensed lay minister and former broadcaster.  She shares statistics on the rising rate of dementia in an aging society, highlighting the urgent need for churches to consider how we care for those with dementia. Anna Chaplaincy, which is part of BRF Ministries, came into existence out of Debbie's personal experience dealing with her pa...

This episode seeks to dismantle some popular misconceptions about AI and demystify its implications for churches. James Poulter shares his insights on the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and its potential benefits for churches. AI can provoke curiosity or fear, so he explains in simple terms how large language models like ChatGPT work and how the technology is gradually shaping our lives and...

Join us in our latest episode of the Roots Podcast where we sit down with Gillian Warson, a professional musician and part of the team of contributors who offer song suggestions for Roots' subscribers each week. We delve into the enduring relevance of hymns in worship, their historical and contemporary contexts. We discuss the thought process behind hymn selection, highlighting the relevance and p...

Melanie Cave speaks with Mark Arnold, Additional Needs Ministry Director for Urban Saints. They discuss accessibility and the inclusion of Autistic people, as well as children and young people with additional needs, in ways that better foster connection and belonging.  We also discuss the Roots' Visual Timetable for churches which launched in 2024. Visit www.rootsforchurches.com/vt to order one fo...