Katy Brereton

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Sunday September 07, 2008

Katy Brereton breretons@aol.com January 4, 2008

I have been happily married since 1976 to Dave and together we have adopted 3 children and cared for many foster children who are all in their 20’s now. I graduated from McGill University in 2005 with a B. of K/Elementary Education. I am very interested in validating YFC staff who work with elementary children and would like to help create a network so everyone may share ideas and best practices and be a help and an encouragement to each other across Canada.

In the past I was involved in:

running a summer camp with Dave for 9 years for underprivileged children in Montreal's social service system
coordinating the Sunday School for 15 years at the church we attend in Montreal
teaching a Sunday School class for 15 years at the grade 3-6 level.
running a Bible Club during lunch hour for 5 years at the MacKay Centre – an elementary school for handicapped children.

At present I am:

teaching piano lessons
coordinating a women’s Bible study in my home
coordinating the care and visiting Dave’s aunt at her senior’s residence
play keyboard on a worship team at church
taking care of personal and Dave’s YFC paperwork
traveling with Dave whenever possible :)

Katy’s reflections:

George Barna says in his book Transforming Children into Spiritual Champions, “Research indicates that one’s spiritual identity is largely set by age 13”. He talks about the 4-14 window, stating that “85% of those who make profession of faith do so within the age range of four to fourteen” and according to studies done in 2003, “about 30% of the word’s population is age 14 or younger.” Therefore the answer to the questions, “At what stage in life is a person undergoing the greatest moral and spiritual development? and “At what stage in life do individuals have the greatest openness to the Gospel?”.....the answer is: “In childhood.” Jesus says the same in Mark 10:13-16 when he says, “the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these.”

Therefore, I am very interested in encouraging YFC staff working with elementary children and helping to create this network across Canada. Please feel free to contact me at the email above with any ideas or concerns which you may have in this area. I would love to hear from you.