The words ‘Tic Tac’ are usually associated with pocket-sized boxes of flavoured mints. But for the children at Weerona Uniting Church in Bendigo, it is a name that reflects their identity and values.
In late 2015, the Weerona Uniting Church kids’ club decided to name themselves ‘TICTAC’. It stands for ‘Totally Inclusive Children Talking About Church’.
Rev Susan Malthouse-Law is minister at Weerona Uniting Church and coordinates TICTAC. When she commenced her placement at Weerona in 2015, she wanted to give the kids’ club a unique name and identity. But finding a suitable name proved more challenging than expected.
“We wanted to come up with a name but we couldn’t reach consensus,” Ms Malthouse-Law said.
“One of the kids, as a joke, suggested the name ‘Tic Tac’ because it sounded cool.”
After some discussion, ‘Tic Tac’ developed into a fitting acronym that articulates the children’s desire to be an inclusive and welcoming community. The club provides an informal family-orientated environment where children can engage in interactive activities and learn about God.
“It’s a chance for the kids to play games and have fun. We also set aside some time for prayer,” Ms Malthouse-Law said.
During the busy Christmas season, Ms Malthouse-Law turned to the newly-named TICTACs to assist with Christmas decorations. One of the activities the children did was create craft for the church’s Jesse tree (a tree decorated with ornaments that tell the story of the Bible from creation to Jesus’ birth).
There are currently 10 families involved in TICTAC and the group hopes to expand and include more children in 2016.
Comments are closed.