Holy Trinity Street and Walton

An action-packed half hour For Noughts to Sevens (with their parents and carers) in Street Parish Church at 9.30 a.m. on the first Sunday of each month an opportunity for children and adults to discover more about Jesus through lots of participation, action songs and drama to watch and join in. further details available from Sarah McConnaughie Tel:832076

January 2004 Mums & Toddlers

There will be a new Mother & Toddler group commencing on Tuesday 20th January at the Mission Church, aiming to cater for pre-school children. We will be meeting on a weekly basis from 1.30pm till 3.00pm. We aim to have a structured activity that will be for the first hour of the session, with time afterwards for mums to chat and meet new mums and children to play.

Therefore, please please please, if anyone has any toys / books that they no longer require which may be of help to us can you please let either myself know (karl_allison.Hudson@tesco.net) or Sarah McConnaughie.

Many thanks Allison Hudson

January 2004 Youth News

The youth groups were pretty busy in the run-up to Christmas. Sunday mornings in December were spent getting ready for the Mission Church’s Christmas Eve Service. Writing this a week before Christmas, I can’t say what actually happened, but I can say what has been planned! It’s an all-age production, with a variety of components:

A music group has been getting ready to accompany all the carols and to teach the congregation a new carol, chosen because it is Caolan’s favourite and certainly boppy enough to get everyone joining in! If you learned ‘Don’t Talk About Shopping, Talk About Jesus’ on Christmas Eve, I bet you are still humming it. So thanks to Alex (violin), Ceinwen and Tara (flutes), Tim and Helen (trumpets), Bryony (clarinet) and Fran and Abi (voice). Also, Eleanor was no sooner back from uni than she was drafted to sing and play too and so thanks to her and to Ian, Chris and Vicky who also played and helped things along.

The Cyfinders designed the service and wrote the script. Their idea for a nativity play in which a rather-too-trendy vicar decides to modernise things, removing all the usual characters and replacing them with something ‘cooler’ was designed to make people think. As the angels are turned into fairies and Joseph becomes David Beckam (because he’s a modern father who’s ‘there for his kids’), the vicar keeps scratching his head and musing about what is missing from the scene. Only at the very end are we reminded what it is, when a tape recording of a crying baby is played.

The youngest children have planned a re-telling of the nativity, complete with costumes, readings by Helen and Abi and music to accompany their long walk down the aisle and back to the front. Their final tableau and singing of ‘Away in a Manger’ is sure to be a highlight.

In addition, the youngsters made and sold mince pies after the service on December 21st and raised £45 for our sponsored child, John Wambui, in Kiserian in Kenya. Our monthly payments go towards education, health care and bible teaching for John and others in his community. Christmas seemed the right time to boost the funds which allow our youngsters to reach out and help a child with so much less than they have. But their sponsorship will continue throughout 2004 and beyond, as of course will the work that we do with them in Jesus’ name.

Marian Jones

February 2004 Youth News

There have now been 4 sessions of ‘The Event’, the alternative youth worship sessions run by Sarah and Adrian McConnaughie, Mark and Judith Russell and David Collins. So what has been happening?

On the opening night, last October, the youngsters were welcomed with (non-alcoholic!) cocktails and then they enjoyed a varied session, which included worship songs, a testimony from Mark and a prayer activity.

For the November session, Alex and Dan joined the musicians earlier in the day and rehearsed so they too could contribute to the music in the evening. Sarah gave a testimony and the group made a prayer chain, writing different kinds of prayer (personal prayers, those for family and friends, and prayers on wider issues) on strips of different coloured paper and joining them altogether to hang up in the church. They also enjoyed chocolate fondue afterwards!

Lebkuchen were provided as refreshments for the December evening and there was an activity trail designed to take youngsters through the Christmas story and encourage them to think about its relevance to them. The session ended with reflection and prayers from the Celtic tradition.

In January there was more music, refreshments from a breakfast-bar (cereals, croissants and porridge!) and a prayer activity using pictures as a starting point.

Most of the church’s teenagers have been to some sessions. Thank you to all those who are working hard to provide them with a chance to meet, talk and eat together, and to explore ways to worship which might be new to them.

The Event takes place on the first Sunday of each month, from 7.00 - 8.30 pm in the Mission Church. If you know of anyone who might like to be involved, speak to Sarah McConnaughie who will make sure they get an invitation. Marian Jones

March 2004 Youth News

Question: when does the planning for a family service take place?

Answer: about ten minutes after the previous family service finishes! Then planning and organising continues throughout the month until the service itself.

We hope you have noticed the effort which has been going into making our monthly family services something for everyone, whatever their ages or stages. As an illustration, here’s a description of the way the February family service took shape. Firstly - surprise! - there was a MEETING! And yes, it was just after the January service, because that’s when it’s easy for everyone involved to get together. Sometimes we start with a theme or an idea, but this time it was decided to start by asking Adrian to plan the service and do the sermon and have a free rein with the theme. During the month, various things fell into place:

Adrian chose ‘Living the Faith’ as his theme, focussing on the idea of Christians as beacons of light, shining out into the world. He wanted to talk about how our words and actions tell others whether we are living our faith.
Sarah had a discussion with the girls’ group on how Christianity affects the decisions they have to make in everyday life. This time, this didn’t provide material for the service itself, but was intended to encourage them to think about the theme as it relates to them.
The Explorers also spent a morning discussing how being a Christian might affect the things they do and say and they worked on a sketch for the service. If you missed it, it was about choosing teams in a PE lesson and how there’s often someone who’s left out because they are ‘rubbish’! They followed this with their ideas about how Jesus might react in this situation and their thought-provoking references to Jesus’ acceptance of people who weren’t popular (remember Zaccheus!) and to including everyone (even if 5000 people arrive needing food) introduced the theme to the congregation. Their wall display reminded us that if you can’t find a bible reference for a particular problem, you can always ask the question ‘What would Jesus do?’ and use what we do know about Him to shed light on how He might want us to react to things which happen to us today.
Plans were also made for involving the smaller children. Adrian collected some exciting torches, candles and bike lights to illustrate the theme of light and Adrian and Sarah made a colourful lighthouse picture. During the more adult part of Adrian’s sermon, the smaller children went out with Sarah to decorate the lighthouse by adding their names or pictures of themselves to the beams of light.
- Chris chose the hymns, prepared and distributed the music, organised a pre-service practice and led the musicians - who included Alex on violin and Ceinwen on flute, plus a range of enthusiastic small percussionists - on the day.
Adults too were asked to participate. Alison did the reading and Pam did the prayers. Rose, Fred and Jim were all brave enough to join the football teams for the sketch. Anthea, Ian and Vicky played alongside the young musicians.

So, did everyone feel included? Did everyone feel they learned something? We hope so! If anyone else would like to join the team preparing family services, either occasionally or more regularly, we would be delighted to welcome you! Please just speak to Sarah or to David Hatrey. By the time you read this, the March service (for March 14th) will be well underway, but do join us at the short meeting straight afterwards to help us plan for April!

Marian Jones

Easter Egg Hunt

All youngsters are invited to an Easter egg hunt on April 10th from 5.30-6.30 pm. Please obtain parental consent forms from Andrew or Delyth. This will be followed by an Easter Chick Drive Cheese and Wine from 7pm.

Cost Free for the children, £2.50 for the adults.

After the Chick Drive there will be a short Easter Celebration Service. Please indicate numbers on the lists in the churches

June 2004 Youth News

On Sunday, May 16th, I did a tour of the youth and children's groups in the Mission Church to see what everyone had been up to. And they had been up to lots of things!

In the crèche, Angelus and James spent a happy hour with toys, looked after by Nicky. In the room next door, nine Sparklers worked with Sonia - ably aided by Abi (can you say that aloud without stumbling?) - on the theme of Jesus as the bread of life. They did a worksheet on sandwiches, talked about the theme and made lunch bags with a cross on them and put bread inside, so that they would remember what they had learned.

Next door to them were the All Stars who were working on the same theme, using the next set up of Salt materials provided by Scripture Union. Caolan, Saida, Amy, Alexa, Phoebe, and Olivia worked with Liz, helped by Emma, and did a worksheet on making bread before having a story and writing a prayer based on John 6 Verse 35: 'I am the bread of life.' They also enjoyed a snack of bread and croissants together.

Meanwhile, the Explorers were busy with Selina, working on 1 Corinthians Chapter 12. First, they finished the mobiles they had begun last time, which were designed to illustrate verses 5: 'There are different ways of serving, but the same Lord is served.' They cut out and coloured figures of children serving in different ways, from praying to carrying the shopping, and hung them on mobiles to take home. Then they began a discussion about 'God's heroes' and the different characteristics of bible figures such as Moses, Paul and Jesus himself. They designed cartoon versions of the people they had talked about. If you have time, do go up to the photocopying room where the cartoons are displayed on the noticeboard.

Downstairs, the Cyfinders worked with Karen and Dave and began a new project based on popular tv programmes. The unit they started is based on the programme Survivors' and they looked at the team-building aspects of the programme, reading the story from Nehemiah about the re-building of the wall and Ephesians 4, Verses 1-16 about the role of the different parts of the body which must work together if the body is to function. More sessions were planned on 'Survivors', looking at 'competition', 'deceit' and 'the survival instinct' and there are further units on other programmes, such as 'Who wants to be a Millionaire?' and 'Big Brother.'

Meanwhile, in the service itself, we were hearing all about Scripture Union, on whose materials many of the children's sessions are based and we even touched on the theme of Jesus as the bread of life in the hymn 'Jesus, the joy of loving hearts', where two of the lines are 'We taste of You, the living bread, And long to feast upon you still.'

It may not have been planned, but it does show that the whole church family is working on the same lines, but coming at things from different angles!

Quite a lot has been happening outside the Sunday morning slots. Some of the teenagers went on another visit to 'Infusion', the Yeovil-based monthly Saturday night event for Christian teenagers where they were entertained by a comedian and had a very enjoyable evening.

Also, all the youngsters have been busy fund-raising to pay for the children's events in Trinity Fest. There have been two after-the-service car-washing slots, which raised about £90 and the younger children have raised at least £150 (and counting!) from their sponsored cycle around the church grounds. Thank you to Dave, who provided the car-washing equipment and to Jim who organised the cycling (including refreshments and certificates for all the participants!) So, between them, they have raised about half of the 500 pounds needed. Much of the rest will come from entrance fees of 50p per child and from the sale of refreshments, but if you didn't have your car washed or sponsor anyone and would still like to contribute, please feel free to slip Sarah (or any of the youth leaders) a little something!

Marian Jones

July 2004 Youth News

One of the highlights of Trinity Fest was surely the three-day Children’s Fest extravaganza when so many children from local families came along to the parish church and shared as much noise, colour, humour and sheer fun as it was possible to pack in.

On the Monday, the church became a big top and Roly Bain (a clown and ordained minister!) arrived and unpacked his unicycle, tightrope and baggy trousers. He kept rapt attention for nearly an hour, illustrating points about the Christian life with his tricks and jokes and throwing in a good number of asides for watching adults. In the workshops which followed, children made clown masks and balloon sculptures and tried out juggling and other circus skills.

Tuesday was for music and dance and Juliette and her troupe inspired everyone with a demonstration before Sonia and Jim led circle dancing. Groups made trumpets, guitars, shakers and bell bracelets so there would be plenty of noise at the final parade and the production of badges and ribbon wavers ensured there was no shortage of colour either.

Martyn Payne from the Barnabas Ministry led Wednesday’s drama workshops on the theme of ‘3, 2, 1, GO!’ - or the Trinity in adult-speak. The children thought about God and His creation using a giant earth ball, then they acted out the baptism of Jesus using a vast cloth river and moved onto a drama about the coming of the Holy Spirit using a huge parachute and cut-out flames to illustrate the wind and fire.

About 80 children attended each day and there was a vast team of adult helpers, many of whom arrived at 8.00 am each morning and didn’t leave until mid-afternoon. It was a special pleasure to see how many of our teenagers threw themselves into helping. On the first day alone, I saw Ceinwen on refreshments, Tim and Abi in the balloon workshop, Tara putting up gazebos and Dan and Helen helping with circus skills. I bet I’ve forgotten someone!

The whole thing was a wonderful testament to what can be done when we work as a team. The energy and commitment of so many people made it the huge success it was, and special thanks are due to Sarah who masterminded the whole thing, and to Dave and Jenny who supplied box after box of craft materials and the creative inspiration to help the rest of us use them to best effect! Stunning!

On Saturday June 12th, Delyth took a group of children to the Children’s Festival at Wells Cathedral. Caolan, Alex, Catherine, Phoebe and Alexa took the banner they had made along with them and enjoyed an action-packed morning on an Olympic theme, with plenty of mime, ribbon-dancing, bouncy-castle-ing (that might be a newly-invented term!) face-painting and music, all culminating in a service especially for their age group in the cathedral. A wonderful time was certainly had by all.

Marian Jones

August 2004 Youth News

Have a look at the Young People's page, with slide shows of car washing and the Sunrise! picnic.

July 2 - 4 was a busy weekend for our church youngsters. On the Friday evening, a number of the teenagers joined the Street Churches outing to Ham Hill, where they played a 'wide game' which, as far as I can gather, involved transporting a lot of water about in teams and possibly getting other teams quite wet into the bargain. This proved very popular! There was then a barbecue, a generous quantity of doughnuts, a short talk by Nick Poole from the Harvest Church, and a chance to mingle and ramble together. They arrived back in Street at about ten o'clock, looking tired and damp! So, definitely a good evening and an idea which the youth leaders hope will grow, because everyone benefited from meeting young people and their youth leaders from other churches.

Saturday, of course, was Fête day. Delaja and Helen ran a stall offering badge-making which proved very popular and they also sold some of the greetings cards they had been busy making beforehand. When I quizzed some of the younger fête-goers about what they had done during the morning, I got a variety of answers. Freya had bought some cakes and two badges, and she'd had her face painted as a cat. Flo helped to sell badges and cards and had herself painted up as a rainbow. Lots of people had a go on Jim's Scooter Challenge, where only 30p bought them a go on the ramp and see-saw - and a chance to brave the water zone, which was in full swing when I saw it, thanks to Tim Hatrey and his water pistol. Alexa helped run a 'pea game', where for 20p you had a chance to suck peas up onto the end of a straw and transfer them into a bowl for the grand count-up at the end. Alexa was pleased to note that a child had the largest total (16 in a minute) and that the next best adult managed only a measly 14.

On the Sunday, during the service, a number of Explorers worked on rehearsing a dramatised version of the story from Matthew about Jesus healing a leper which they had been asked to prepare for the following week's Family Service. They took on the acting parts, delegated the narration to a couple of spare Cyfinders (thank you, Dan and Helen) and the stage management to Sam and Tim Hopkins and got the whole thing ready in about forty minutes flat. What a team!

Marian Jones

September 2004 Youth News

(compiled by Marian Jones)

The 4 Year 10 pupils from Crispin did their work experience just before the end of the summer term. Alastair spent the week at the County Ground in Taunton, where he did some office duties and some work on the grounds, and worked two late nights when cricket matches were on. Fran went to the Design Department at Clarks where she designed leaflets and went on a trip to a printing works. Dan helped at the Liberal Democrats Constituency Office where he stuffed a lot of envelopes, went to a Council Meeting at County Hall and spent a morning with parliamentary candidate Jeremy Brown visiting schools and fêtes. And Abi, I’m sorry to say, disappeared to France with the rest of the Hatreys before I could find her to ask what she did. If you are intrigued, ask her when she returns!

In June, Helen Reade graduated with a degree in Medical Sciences from Cambridge University. Can it really be three whole years since she began her studies? She celebrated by setting off to the Far East for several weeks of travelling and will return to Cambridge in September to start her clinical training, based at Addenbrookes Hospital. She will be continuing as a Medical Cadet with the Royal Air Force.

And looking ahead, there are 6 members of Sparklers who will be starting infant school this year: Rohan Collins, Gareth James and Flo Parker will all be going to Brookside, following their older sisters. Alyssa Brandan and Laurence Beaty will be starting at Walton School, where they both have older brothers and Lucy Woodward is going to Ashcott Primary School. They will be presented with a starting school pack in one of the September services, containing a colourful workbook called ‘Get Ready, Go!’, an accompanying book for Mum and Dad called ‘Get Ready To Let Go!’ and a picture book from the Little Fish Series called ‘God Loves.’

There isn’t anyone from the youth groups moving on to secondary school this time, but Delaja, Amelia and Daniel Hopkins will be beginning their last year of primary school. Next month, I hope to tell you about the new courses the older pupils are beginning. Meanwhile, let’s finish with a prayer from the ‘Get Ready, Go!’ booklet:

‘Dear God, please be with me as I start at school. Thank you for all the people who will look after me while I am there. Help me as I learn new things and make new friends. Amen.’

NOvember 2004 Youth News

Try reading this Harvest Prayer, written by the Cyfinders for the Harvest Festival service. Think of it as being read in two alternate voices, the first line by an English person, the second by a Somalian, then back to the English ... and so on!

If Sainsbury’s has no milk, I’d go to Tescos.

If my goat were to die, I will have none.

If my bread is stale, I’ll throw it away.

If my corn is stale, I will have no bread.

If I have chicken today, I can have pork tomorrow.

If I have chicken today, I won’t have an egg tomorrow.

If my bottled water is empty, I will have to use the tap.

If my well is polluted, I could die.

Why is Sainsbury’s not open yet?

Lord, give us today our daily bread and keep me and my children fed.

One of the church’s newer youth groups is quietly thriving, despite never having been mentioned on this page! But let me put that right, by telling everyone who doesn’t know about it that there is a weekly Mums and Toddlers Group every Tuesday afternoon in term time. They meet between 1.30 and 3.00 pm in the Mission Church. There are lots of toys to play with, drinks and biscuits are provided and every other week a Health Visitor drops in and is available for questions or simply a chat. There is also a short organised activity, often singing, run by one of the leaders and a chance to tell people what special events or services are coming soon in our church. If you know anyone who looks after a baby or toddler and might enjoy coming, do tell them about it. If you are available to help and could arrive at 1.00pm to help set up, or help with drinks, washing up or clearing away, do speak to Sarah McConnaughie.

‘Events’ for the Cyfinders are planned for November 7th (details to be circulated) and for December 5th, when Jill Perryman will talk to the group about her missionary work in S.E. Asia and her plans for setting up her charity, Firm Foundations, when she returns there early in 2005. Jill’s aim is to work with disabled teenagers in S.E. Asia, setting up a centre to provide them with the training in life and business skills that no-one else is offering them. I am sure she will inspire everyone who comes. Let’s pray that they will be moved to encourage or help Jill in whatever way they can.

Last month’s Hunger Lunch raised over £80 for the youth group’s sponsorship project (and a similar amount for Tearfund), so now seems a good time to report on how that work is going. If you were in the Family Service on October 10, you may remember that Daniel, Edward and Joseph read out the news that John, the little boy we were sponsoring, has moved away from the area with his aunt and cannot be traced. Compassion, the organisation which arranges sponsorships, thanked us for our help and asked us if we would continue our support by sponsoring a different child. So, we now support Edwin Barasa, who lives near the Urafiki Child Development Centre, west of Nairobi, in Kenya. This is what we learned about him in the first letter we received:

‘Edwin lives with his father and mother. His household duties are helping in the kitchen and running errands. His father is sometimes employed as a guard and his mother is sometimes employed as a seller in the market. There are two children in the family, a boy and a girl. For fun, Edwin enjoys football, singing and running. He attends Sunday School regularly. He goes to Kindergarten and his best subject is Maths.’

The letter went on to describe how the money we send each month will be used: Page 12 ‘Your sponsorship will provide Edwin with uniforms, school supplies and books, as well as loving Christian guidance. Children will receive regular bible training and attend rallies and camps where they will learn about God’s special love for them. Your sponsorship will also provide one nourishing meal for Edwin every Saturday and during school holidays.’

The childrens and youth groups will continue to raise money to support Edwin. The Mothers and Toddlers group are planning a table-top sale and the idea of mince-pie making by the Cyfinders is in the pipeline for later in the year! Thank you to everyone who came to the Hunger Lunch or who has contributed to any of the other fund-raising.

Marian Jones

December 2004 Youth News

A good time was had ... On October 31st, about 30 youngsters enjoyed a Mystery Detective Evening at the Mission Church, learning the Bible's own code-cracking story (see Daniel 5 if you are mystified!), making periscopes and masks and cracking codes. For November's Event a large group enjoyed the fireworks display at Millfield, followed by a get-together for sausages and baked potatoes.

Operation Christmas - Nearly 50 shoeboxes filled with Christmas gifts from our three churches will be joining the million 'Operation Christmas Child' boxes sent to deprived parts of the world this Christmas. Most boxes contained things from the suggested list, such as soap, gloves and colouring pencils, and also some extra treats. Caolan, Jonty and Dewi chose a rabbit, a bear and a jigsaw and Harry and Amelia put in glitter gel pens and sweets. Gareth's family chose a special football toothbrush, a polar bear and a small spirograph set. Delaja packed a ball and a toy bird and Laurence chose a toy tractor and a ball. Ceinwen, Abi and Tim included a 'slinky' toy and some fruit pastilles and Helen chose a wooden beaded necklace and some hair ties. What a wonderful project!

On December 19th the younger children will be presenting their nativity play as part of the 10.30 am service in the Mission church. On Christmas Eve, there will be two Christingle Services: one at 4.00pm in the Parish Church, led by the Sunrise! team and aimed at younger children and a second at 6.00pm in the Mission Church which is for all ages. There will also be a Christmas party for the Allstars and Sparklers and a festive bowling trip for the Explorers and Cyfinders. Phew!

Exploring the Christmas story - The Explorers have been reading the Christmas story in the Bible. Here's how they wrote up the two versions in their own words:

According to Matthew ... Mary and Joseph were engaged and before the wedding, Mary found out that she was pregnant. Joseph was worried, but an angel came to him in a dream and said that the baby was the son of God and that he should take Mary as his wife. Jesus was born in Bethlehem and some men who studied the stars came from the East to visit Him. They met Herod first and he told them to find the baby and tell him where He was. This was an evil plot. They followed the star to where Jesus lay and gave Him gold, frankincense and myrrh. God told them not to go back to Herod. An angel visited Joseph and told him to take Mary and Jesus to Egypt where they would be safe. Herod was so angry that he killed all the boys under two in Bethlehem and its neighbourhood. When Herod died, an angel told Joseph to take Mary and Jesus back to Israel.

According to Luke ... God sent the Angel Gabriel to Mary and told her she was pregnant and that her son would be the son of God. Gabriel said the baby would be called Jesus. The Emperor Augustus ordered a census, which meant that Mary and Joseph had to go to Bethlehem. Mary was in Bethlehem when she gave birth. There was no room in the inn, so Jesus was laid in a manger, wrapped in strips of cloth. Nearby, some shepherds were watching their sheep, when an angel appeared to them and told them the good news about a baby in a manger. Then a whole host of angels appeared and sang God's praises. A week later, the baby was named Jesus, just as Gabriel said He would be.

Marian Jones