Scenes from Noah and the Flood

Twenty Years of the Sunday School

by Janet Smith

A special welcome to all the boys and girls who are part of our Sunday School at present and remembering too those who are here today who were once a member of our Sunday School, for you the memory is a good one I hope.

The Sunday School has changed over the years, especially from September 2005 but the message is the same

God loved us so much that he sent his only Son Jesus to be born on earth to live and die on the cross for our sins, so that we may have a way to heaven.

This morning before the children take their important role in today's celebration, I would like to share with you a brief outline of our 20 years. On the evening of Saturday 14th March 1987 a telephone call to me at home, from Canon John Oates.The telephone conversation went something like this:-

Janet, John Oates, the Bishop is coming to-morrow for a Confirmation Service, it would be good to have a Sunday School at St. Brides. Use the Music Room. I'll leave it with you. See you tomorrow.

I had taken part in organising the Sunday School at St. Stephen's Clapham Park for sometime before coming to St. Brides and getting married to Terence. But to fulfil the task John Oates had set me... I remember thinking what a tall order, how do I do this one !! Nevertheless, Janet deal with the challenge.

I retreated to the loft at home to see what materials I had that could shape a Sunday School for the next day. Then on Sunday 15th March 1987, a Sunday School was born in the rededicated Church. As was pointed out to me at a later date by Guildsman Lewis Bradley there had been a Sunday School in the pre-war Church, which met in the day school in Bride Lane which he had attended in 1914 at the age of 5. What happened to it I have yet to find out but it was definitely not in existence in 1950 when Terence first came to St. Brides.

For a while, Sylvia Oates became the co-ordinator and we worked with other members of the congregation who came along to help. All aged children were welcome. In 1990 the rebuilding of the Music room, which is now known as the Assembly room, meant that the Sunday School had to find a new location. Over the last 20 years it has met in the Crypt, the Rector's study, the Assembly room but mainly in the crypt. By the early 90s I was the co-ordinator for the Sunday School, Nicola was getting older and learning the ropes!!! Angela joined in.

We now had progressed to an organised weekly plan for the Sunday School which consisted of hearing a bible story, saying prayers, singing choruses (how fortunate I had kept my old chorus books in the Loft ) and an organised activity. I used Scripture Union Children's literature. Our Sunday School grew.

In 1997 the Sunday School celebrated it's first 10 years. Part of the celebrations was a presentation of a Christening Shell, which is still in use now. By the year 2000 we had been joined by Lesley, Nicola's friend. In 2005 Goodly Play came to the front of our thinking within the children's work in the Church. Nicola and Lesley went on a training course for this and gave feedback and thought this could really work for us and our children. After much discussion with all concerned it was decided to give it a go. September 2005 started Godly play and we invited Parents and the Congregation to a talk and show materials that were to be used.

Our Sunday School is divided into two sections. The older children are continuing to use Godly play materials. The younger children and babies are being introduced to Godly play materials at their own level together with playing with toys and having stories read to them. If you would like to see this in action, please come and see us, we will be happy to explain and show you the materials we use.

There have been many activities and happy memories to look back on over the past 20 years.
For the young adults here today, they will remember the visit from Princess Di in 1989, when she visited the Church to pray for the release of John McCarthy and open the Assembly room.
We were in our normal place the Crypt when she came to say "Hello" and then on her departure all the Children lined the red carpet and waved Union Jacks!!!!

Over many years Operation Christmas Child has been a popular annual feature of our Sunday school. The children have always enjoyed preparing the shoe boxes for children in Eastern European countries. We share thoughts about giving and receiving, Christmas is a good time to focus on this and how fortunate our Children are. With the help of the Congregation we have always been able to achieve a good amount of boxes to send. This we intend to continue to support.

When St. Brides Appeal was launched the Sunday School decided to take their part, they set themselves a target of £3,500 to raise towards the appeal. A fun day was arranged, a tea towel was designed, donations were given, together with other fund raising activities to make a final total of £4,500. We were very pleased and proud that we had exceeded our target and a plaque commemorating this support is on the new seating.

More recently we supported The Big Toddle run by Barnardo's. Children were sponsored to toddle around the Church, we combined this with a fancy hat competition. This was great fun and raised a good total, but sadly not many of our children supported this event, however the Hat Judges were great!!!!!

During our time with the Children we have always tried to proclaim the Gospel in a way they would understand. However small those thoughts or words may have been, we hope it has given a chance for them to think and ask questions about the Christian faith.

The children have been waiting very patiently to act out their story of Noah and the flood. Enough from Me !!! The children of St. Bride's Sunday School present to you Noah and the Flood. We hope you will enjoy it.