A large congregation was in attendance at the Children’s and Young People’s Service which took place on Sunday 16 June 2019. One of the senior’s, Adam Broome, welcomed all present, extending a special welcome to the speaker Miss Hanna Neilly. After the Congregational praise, “Jesus loves me”, Adam led in prayer followed by a musical interlude in which James Gibbons sang “You are my sunshine”, accompanying himself on guitar and Victoria Megarry on piano, played “Amazing Grace” and “Abide with me”.
As some of the children are changing schools in September, words taken from Jeremiah 29 v11 are an apt choice for repetition for children at this stage of their development.
In the sketch ‘A Squash and a Squeeze’ the main character displayed a life of discontent, firstly with being lonely and then being overcrowded. By the end of their performance, the message as to where to find true contentment does not rely on the accumulation of great wealth, the latest gadget or other great possessions but rather in the words of Philippians 4 vs 11 to 14.
Since the Senior Class has begun to study the life of the Patriarch Abraham, the song ‘Father Abraham’ was introduced with actions by the choir, followed by participation by the whole
congregation.
While the collection was being taken up, the hymn ‘Don’t build your house’ was sung. The Superintendent, Mrs P Broome, then invited Miss Neilly to present prizes to those who attended Sunday School during the past year, as well as gifts to visiting children.
The guest speaker for the service Miss Hannah Neilly, in her address captured the attention of children by producing visual aids which related to countries in which she had worked as a missionary with the Vision Baptist Mission, invited the children to guess the names of the countries. They correctly linked the ‘elephant’ with Africa and the ‘tiger’ with India but it was a model of the Titanic which linked the sacrifice made by Miss Annie Funk in 1912. Miss Funk, born in 1874 in Bally, Pennsylvania decided at a young age to become a missionary to India. While working in Jangir-Champe in India she received a telegram to say that her mother was very ill. On hearing that the Titanic was sailing to America, she decided to buy a £13 second class ticket. When the ship hit the iceberg life boats were in short supply and she gave two other passengers the opportunity of being saved instead of herself.
Mrs E Crothers accompanied all musical items. After the singing of the hymn ‘I have a precious book’, the Rev V Neill led in prayer, followed by the Benediction, bringing a very successful service to its close